Carlos Garcia’s opening remarks

member of the Shrewsbury Select Board

Good morning everyone, and happy Pride! Thank you Holly, the Congregational Church, Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, and to the entire team that helped put this wonderful event together. I’m Carlos Garcia, a member of the Shrewsbury Select Board, and I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for being here today (even in the rain). Events like these go a long way in showcasing how loving and supportive our community is. As a queer person myself, I feel tremendous appreciation and joy in seeing all of you here. But I know there’s more work to do. Growing up gay in town was not always easy, and perhaps like some of you here today, I struggled a lot with accepting myself for who I am. The transformative power of having supportive friends and family helped me eventually learn to love myself and live as my authentic self, but sadly I know that not everyone is afforded that luxury. According to survey data, only 1 in 3 queer youth live in LGBTQ+ affirming households — that means that a vast majority of queer youth are left to find safe and affirming spaces on their own. If you find yourself in a position to be supportive of a queer person in your life, please know that that love can truly make all the difference. 

Across our country, and even in communities here in Massachusetts, queer people, especially trans people, are under attack. There are Policymakers out there that are actively causing harm to the LGBTQ+ community. Please know that when I say that I am grateful that each of you are here and are contributing to help make our community a more accepting place, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. As one of your elected leaders in town, know that I will always be in opposition to hate and discrimination.

Whether you are here today as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, or are an ally, understand that you have a role to play in making our queer friends and family feel safe and loved. This is the largest Pride event that Shrewsbury has ever seen, and I hope to see it continue to grow in years to come. I’m also very grateful that much of the proceeds from this event will be sent to Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services to help fund their LGBTQ+ services. If you had asked me in high school where I would be in 10 years, I would not have ever thought that I would be celebrating Pride and standing before all of you today, as the first openly gay person elected to a townwide office in Shrewsbury’s history. Whether you are running today or are like me and will be walking, enjoy this day and continue to take care of yourselves and others. Happy Pride!