Submitted by: Wendy Gloyd, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
On a bright, sunny morning on Saturday, June 21st, Westford Town Common hosted its first-ever LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Raising
ceremony, marking an important milestone for the community. Volunteers from the Westford DEI Committee, including Dawn Brantley, Lisa Kilpatrick, and Wendy Gloyd, along with their families and community members, worked together to set up chairs, sound systems, and prepare the Pride flag for the 10 a.m. ceremony. Approximately 30-35 attendees, including school committee members, town officials, and residents, gathered for the event. While the Pride flag was raised last year, no formal ceremony took place due to a scheduling conflict with the town’s annual Strawberry Festival.
ceremony, marking an important milestone for the community. Volunteers from the Westford DEI Committee, including Dawn Brantley, Lisa Kilpatrick, and Wendy Gloyd, along with their families and community members, worked together to set up chairs, sound systems, and prepare the Pride flag for the 10 a.m. ceremony. Approximately 30-35 attendees, including school committee members, town officials, and residents, gathered for the event. While the Pride flag was raised last year, no formal ceremony took place due to a scheduling conflict with the town’s annual Strawberry Festival.The ceremony was sponsored by Westford LGBTQ+, Allies & Friends, and the Westford DEI Committee. Speakers included emcee Wendy Gloyd, who is involved in both groups, along with Lisa Kilpatrick, the newest member of the Westford DEI Committee. State Representative Jim Arciero and author, educator, and activist Kimm Topping also addressed the crowd. Speakers emphasized the significance of youth leadership and the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ civil rights within the community.
Representative Jim Arciero focused on Massachusetts’ rich history of LGBTQ+ leadership and advocacy, honoring key figures such as Barney Frank, the first openly gay member of the U.S. Congress, with whom Jim had the honor of interning early in his political career. He also highlighted Massachusetts’ pivotal role as the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. Arciero further acknowledged the groundbreaking achievements of Governor Maura Healey, who made history as the first openly lesbian state Attorney General and Governor of Massachusetts in 2022. In his remarks, Arciero reaffirmed his commitment to supporting both the Westford community and the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
Lisa Kilpatrick, who introduced Kimm Topping, spoke of the importance of Topping’s voice in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Topping, who recently published book Generation Queer, highlighted the stories of LGBTQ+ youth change-makers. They reflected on the courage of young leaders whose actions sparked change through voice, art, and protest. Topping also connected these youth leaders to the historic Stonewall Inn riots of 1969, where transgender women Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both young at the time, led the charge for LGBTQ+ rights.Wendy Gloyd then acknowledged the previous speakers, with special thanks to Representative Arciero for his generous contribution to the Acton-Westford Pride Festival later that afternoon. Gloyd, who volunteered with The Trevor Project, shared her perspective on the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ youth, citing common “battlegrounds” being such places as homes, schools, sports teams, and social media. She called for the Westford community to unite in creating a world where LGBTQ+ youth are not just surviving — but thriving.
The ceremony concluded with an invitation to attend the 2nd Annual Acton-Westford Pride Festival, held later that afternoon at NARA Park in Acton, MA. This year’s festival was significantly larger than last year, doubling in size and energy. It attracted over 30 local vendors and a large, enthusiastic crowd, with hundreds of attendees enjoying food, music, and a variety of activities in a vibrant atmosphere of love and support. The success of this event was made possible through the collaboration of numerous organizations and community leaders, as well as the generous financial support from Westford citizens, whose contributions helped make Westford’s portion of the event possible. Special thanks go to the town of Acton, the Acton DEI Committee, the Acton Recreation Department, Acton’s DEI Director, the Westford DEI Committee, and the leadership of both the Westford Select Board and School Committees for their crucial partnership in bringing this celebration to life.
