OCEAN CITY — There is no shortage of groups and organizations supporting the LGBTQIA+ community locally, from the Atlantic County Queer Alliance to Equality Cape May and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Ocean City.
They were out in force for Saturday’s first-ever Ocean City Pride Fest organized by We Belong Cape May County.
After people gathered at 9 a.m. Saturday at Sixth Street and the boardwalk to hear guest speaker Nor’easter Nick Pitman and take part in a parade that marched them north and back south along the boardwalk, hundreds gathered at the practice field next to Carey Stadium for the hours-long festival.
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies were met with music and activities and the chance to pick up T-shirts and other pride regalia.
They also had the chance to learn more about the groups and organizations that offer support and resources or simply show they are welcoming. What follows is just a sample.
Atlantic County Queer Alliance
The Atlantic County Queer Alliance is a collaborative of South Jersey LGBTQ+ organizations, according to director Mico Lucide.
“We exist as a support structure for existing LGBTQ organizations and new LGBTQ organizations. Our goal is to make sure that organizations like We Belong in Cape May County, Pride in Mays Landing, Hammonton Pride, these other organizations throughout South Jersey have the resources they need to accomplish the goals that they have,” Lucide said. To learn more, visit acqanj.com.
Hope One and A Safe Place
Capt. Joseph G. Landis was showcasing A Safe Place and Hope One at the Ocean City Pride Fest. Landis is the community outreach coordinator and LGBTQ+ L.E. liaison of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
“In our Community Outreach unit we try to help as many people in the community that we can in different facets,” Capt. Landis said.
He brought A Safe Place, a program trademarked in Seattle, Wash., to the county two months ago.
“Basically we ask businesses to sign on to be a safe place which allows us to prevent bias crimes and incidents from occurring to people,” he said. When individuals see the A Safe Place sticker in the window of a business, they know “they are accepted there no matter what they look like, no matter what they stand for, sexuality, religion, race, anything. They know they can walk in there judgment-free and the business will call 911 for them and give them help if they need it if they’re being targeted.”
Hope One is a community outreach vehicle Capt. Landis started a couple of years ago. It travels around the county and sets up in different locations.
“We provide direct access to people struggling on the street with substance use disorders and mental health issues and we provide free access and get them into a facility if need be, transport them, help them get insurance,” he said. “Everything is free. The concept of that program is to get people off the streets and helped before they get entangled in the justice system.”
Learn more about Hope One at cmcpros.net.
Upper Township Democrats
The Upper Township Democratic Club was at the Pride Fest “because it’s in line with the values of who we are as the Democratic Party,” member Kevin Hansbury said. “To be inclusive. Everybody is welcome. Everybody deserves not to be tolerated, but to be celebrated.”
Equality Cape May
Equality Cape May was founded about 10 years ago but has become more active in the last couple of years, according to President Ann McCabe.
“We advocate for the ability of people to be open and out and proud in our Cape May County community. We like to believe we’re there to advocate not only when people have difficulty, but to celebrate when the times call for it,” she said.
The group holds social events and takes part in pride and community events such as the West Cape May Christmas Parade.
“We want to make sure that our representation is understood and seen and welcome in Cape May County,” McCable said.
To learn more, find the group on Facebook or Instagram or email equalitycapemay@gmail.com
Greater Ocean City Theatre Company
“We’re here to support and let everyone know that OCTC is a safe space for everyone. Everyone is welcome,” Managing Director Laura Bretherick said.
During the Friday, Aug. 4, OCTC main stage production of “The Wizard of Oz,” all of the proceeds from refreshment sales will be going to We Belong CMC. It will be rainbow night with family-friendly rainbow attire.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind provides intensive in-home services, behavioral assistance services for children 3 through 21 offered through the children’s system of care, Perform Care.
“We go into the home based on what the family’s needs are. We also have two outpatient locations for children of all ages, in Linwood and Sicklerville, and we are opening Cape May County very soon,” Michelle Mangam said.
Derek Smith said the organization was at the festival because it is “important to be here today to spread awareness about mental health, especially among the LGBTQ+ community.”
“The children are our future and it is important they have a good foundation to prepare themselves for the world ahead,” Michael Landoffi said.
“Especially in Cape May and Atlantic counties it is important we provide the necessary services for our children and families,” Mangam added.
To learn more, call (609) 350-5007 or to access the in-home services for children call Perform Care at (877) 652-7624.
GLSEN
GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”) is a national organization that advocates on behalf of students, made up of local chapters that support school communities and wants schools to be as welcoming and inclusive as they can be, according to Jose Jimenez.
“We get together, create programs to help schools and students feel comfortable. We have a resource guide that we update regularly with LGBTQ+ specific resources for students and schools,” he said. “We have a rainbow library project where we buy books written by LGBTQ+ authors and put them into school libraries and encourage young people to read and encourage school libraries to be more diverse and inclusive.”
The group also has youth programming and a youth meetup once a month that is chaperoned and encourages youths “to be themselves and have a good time and make friends.” GLSEN also organizes events such as bowling and game nights.
Now it is doing an arts project collecting submissions from young people throughout southern New Jersey and will turn them into a calendar to distribute.
To learn more, go to glsen.org/snj.
Junior States of America
“We want to get our community and our students more politically active so we’re having people register to vote,” said Henry Gallagher of Junior States of America.
Gallagher, a student at Ocean City High School from Upper Township, said his organization is “basically a debate club and it’s very fun.”
“It’s important to vote to get your opinion out there. It’s great to be active and vouch for what you want, but you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t vote for anything,” he said.
Robert V. Hoffman III Memorial Fund
Based in Vineland, the Robert V. Hoffman III Memorial Fund focuses on raising awareness for mental illness, mental health treatment and suicide prevention.
“We attend community events like these and have tough conversations with people. We’re trying to reduce the stigma around mental illness in honor and memory of our cousin, Robbie, who we lost to suicide about 12 years ago,” Dr. Joeigh Perella said. “We want to make sure people feel comfortable asking for help, talking about some of the struggles they may be having, knowing how to recognize the struggles in family members and loved ones, and making sure we’re doing everything we can to make sure people know they are loved and there is someone who wants to help them.
To learn more go to Facebook at robertvhoffmaniiimemorialfund. Also on Instagram and Twitter on the same names.
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
One group at the festival was representing both the Episcopal Church and its home worship center, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 30th Street and Bay Avenue.
“We’re an open, welcoming community,” Father Steve Connor said.
“I’m a gay married man and I am the pastor of the church. I have been there for five years. And we really believe the Gospel and what Jesus did was about welcoming all people, especially reaching out to those that society says are unwelcome, reaching out to the margins, reaching out to those who are considered on the outskirts and welcoming them in,” he said. “That is the message that Jesus gave us. The flag we fly is a values flag because it speaks to everything — hope, love, equality, inclusion and kindness. It’s about the values of our church and how we treat people when they come within our church.”
Knitting for Peace
A group putting their knitting needles together to advocate for peace was working on items they send to Ukraine, which is under siege since Russia invaded the country more than a year ago.
“We are making items and sending them to civilians in Ukraine,” Hope Vasseur said. “We are knitting, crocheting. We have blankets that will be going that were made at the Friends Meeting House in Woodstown. “It’s what we can do to help others. When you feel like you can’t do anything, you can knit.”
She noted they attended the Ocean City Pride Fest “to support the LGBTQIA+ community and let them know that we love everyone and to make sure they know they are loved and supported,” Vasseur said. The group hopes to host some knitting classes for teens in Ocean City in the future, working with We Belong CMC.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
