Obama Supports Freedom to Marry for Same-Sex Couples

Thank you President Obama.

“It was bold, it was historic, it was the right thing to do,” said Ron deHarte, President of Greater Palm Springs Pride.

Today’s support is welcome progress in our efforts to achieve full equality for all.  The 2012 Palm Springs Pride theme “Long May It Wave” is a salute to the worldwide symbol of equality whose rainbow stripes have led a fight for equality while embracing our diversity and celebrating the unity of our community. We celebrate the past and future progress toward equality.  With President Obama’s support of same-sex couples to marry, the theme will also celebrate the profound sense of pride and renewed hope for equality that the President of the United States of America brings to individuals around the world.

David Sanchez to Receive Harvey B. Milk Leadership Award of the Coachella Valley

The Harvey B. Milk Leadership Award of the Coachella Valley will be awarded to David Sanchez, Past President and CEO of the California Teachers Association, and grade school and community college teacher. The award will be presented at the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast on May 21.  Click here for tickets

The first Latino president of the CTA, Sanchez has a strong record of accomplishments during his 27 years in the teaching profession including being named one of 80 Latino “leaders of the Future” inCalifornia.  During his tenure, he advocated for reduced class size reduction, campaigned for three successful statewide school bonds, and other issues on behalf of teachers inCalifornia. Sanchez recently retired to Rancho Mirage where he lives with his partner, Keith Pratt.

Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast on Monday, May 21, 2012, from 7:30-9:00 AM.  Click Here for $35 Tickets 

Leader, Activist, Former Mayor & Author Neil Giuliano to Keynote Harvey Milk Breakfast

Greater Palm Springs Pride and Equality California Palm Springs, along with the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Coalition, announced that Neil Guiliano, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and former mayor of Tempe, AZ, will be the keynote speaker at the first Coachella Valley Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast on Monday, May 21, 2012, from 7:30-9:00 AM.  Tickets $35 at bit.ly/psmilk

“Long May It Wave”  Set as 2012 Pride Theme for Palm Springs, CA

The Greater Palm Springs Pride board of directors announced the theme for the annual Palm Springs Pride Celebration scheduled for November 3 and 4 is “Long May It Wave”. The theme sets the tone for the 26^th annual celebration and will be visible on parade floats and in marketing materials promoting Palm Springs as a welcoming and inclusive LGBT destination.

The 2012 Palm Springs Pride theme is a salute to the worldwide symbol of equality whose rainbow stripes have led a fight for equality while embracing our diversity and celebrating the unity of our community.  Intended to celebrate the past and future progress toward equality, the theme also celebrates the profound sense of pride that the rainbow flag brings to individuals around the world.

Pride 2012 raises awareness for equal rights and full equality for individuals locally and globally.  In our own backyard, we are one step closer to the day when every American will be able to marry the person they love, regardless of gender, and to have that important commitment recognized by the law of the land.  However, gay and lesbian individuals in California and forty-three other states still don’t have the right to marry the person they love and in seventy-six countries around the world it is still illegal to be gay.   Click Here to Read More

Desert Mirage High School Youth Club Awarded $1,000 from Palm Springs Pride

Palm Springs Pride started the 2012 year off by presenting a $1,000 grant to the Gay, Lesbian or Whatever (GLOW) club at Desert Mirage High School. GLOW was recognized for their work to create a safe environment in school for students and for their efforts to fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools. 

“We applaud the work of these students.  Their confidence, leadership and activism is inspiring,” said Ron deHarte the president of Palm Springs Pride.  Located in Thermal, California which is just past Coachella near Salton Sea, the GLOW club has 26 members with a school student population of 1,900.  The club aims to make their school community safe and welcoming to all students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The funds were raised by the pride organization at the 2011 Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival in November.

deHarte added, “Supporting the Gay-Straight Alliance organizations in the Coachella Valley is one way the pride organization can help combat bullying in schools.”

In the photograph (l to r) Rosa Gutierrez, Ron deHarte, President of Palm Springs Pride, presenting the donation to Andres Valencia, Desert Mirage High School GLOW President and Leidi Manzanarez.  Not pictured is the club advisor Samantha Gomez. The presentation was made at the Palm Springs Pride office.

2012 Palm Springs Pride Festival
Saturday & Sunday Nov. 3-4, 2012

2012 Pride Parade
Sunday Nov. 4, 2012 10AM

About Pride in the Coachella Valley
The Greater Palm Springs Pride organization (pspride.org) is a non-profit organization founded to promote the public education and awareness of individual rights and civil liberties of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and to promote the history, diversity and future prosperity of the Coachella Valley’s LGBT community. The organization produces the annual Palm Springs Pride Festival, Pride Parade, Block Parties, OUTday PSP, and the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast.

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