Pittsfield — Local organization Berkshire Pride held its eighth annual Pride Festival on Saturday, June 8, at the city’s Common Park. According to its website , the mission of the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, which was founded in 2017, is to “provide safe spaces and events where LGBTQIA+ community members can live and thrive as their authentic selves, not only during Pride Month, but also throughout the year.” The organization holds multiple events throughout the year and also has programs and classes , including its Certified Safe-Space Project, which includes classes on “Intro to LGBTQIA+ Terminology” and “What are Pronouns & Why Do They Matter.
” The event included a vendor fair and family activities at the Common Park, as well as booths featuring LGBTQIA+-friendly organizations and companies. “I think that an event like this is a great way to have a sense of community, for everyone to have support and meet safe and friendly faces,” said Berkshire Pride volunteer Deaux-Deaux Thibodeaux. “For someone like me who is intersex, where we only got human rights protections back in April , this is a good place to come out, be ourselves, and be safe without being attacked.
Intersex people like me are still targets of violence.” “LGBTQIA+ have always been here and in the world, and they’ve been persecuted and even put to death in some places,” said Sandra Blomberg from the Rainbow Seniors of Berkshire County. “I think an event like this is importa.