Pride shone across Rye Town Park on Saturday.
Local elected officials, pRYEde community members and local residents gathered for the second annual pride flag raising in the park, before walking down the beachside path to unveil the newest pride mural.
“Westchester is great because of the first two letters – We,” said Rye guy and Westchester County Executive George Latimer in his remarks. PRYEde founder Amanda Timchak reported the group has sold over 500 pRYEde yard flags. She highlighted the pRYEde family network, a collection of resources for local families including a new lending library of books that feature LGBTQ+ characters and issues and spoke about the community mural project about to be highlighted in the park.
“No one can make your colors fade,” said speaker Allie Kaye Dakers, Blind Brook High School Pride advisor and a Rye High School alum. “Let them shine. You absolutely deserve it and we need it.”
The crowd then proceeded to the unveiling of the newest pride mural. The “Change Makers Mural” was created and painted by 25 middle and high school students from across Rye, Rye Brook, Rye Neck, Port Chester, Pelham and Westport. It features 11 LGBTQ+ leaders and allies in strong bold silhouette and the words “Change Makers”.
The mural will be displayed in Rye Town Park, then Crawford Park. It is expected to be displayed in and around Rye and other nearby communities. Last year’s pride mural just recently found its permanent home as an installation in the Rye High School cafeteria.
Watch video of the flag raising and mural unveiling:
