With Pride Month right around the corner, municipalities in Oneida County are showing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
According to a statement from the Oneida County Pride Alliance, alliance officials have spoken with both the Rome and Utica administrations.
“We have an update on the [Utica] flag policy,” OCPA officials wrote in a statement. “The Utica Common Council voted give the council representatives the authority to hold flag raisings as part of their proclamation. This policy is more than just the pride flag, and can now other flags such as the Juneteenth flag and Disability Pride flag to be raised if the council wants to do so.”
Additionally, the Utica common council passed a resolution declaring June to be Pride Month in the city of Utica. As such, a flag raising for the pride flag is to be expected, with OCPA officials saying that they are working with the common council to determine a date and time.
Over in the city of Rome, OCPA officials said that the current administration is in favor of flag raisings and will raise the pride flag in June.
“Right now, there is no policy or flag pole in Rome dedicated to flag raising ceremonies,” OCPA officials wrote in a statement. “We will proceed with the city of Rome once both are place. In the meantime, we will still do a flag raising at the Rome Historical Society.”
The Oneida County Pride Association thanked both Rome and Utica officials for working with them for the last two years and “…making Oneida County a more welcoming space for all.”
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Oneida County municipalities show solidarity with LGBTQ+ community
Reporting by Casey Pritchard, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
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