Hudson County Marks Pride Month With Flag Raising

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and the Board of County Commissioners marked Pride Month on Wednesday, June 4, with a Progress Pride flag raising at the Historic Brennan Court House, followed by a panel discussion on the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Throughout the month of June, the county will display a section of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in the Court House rotunda. The display is hosted by the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs and Tourism Development in partnership with the Hudson County LGBTQ+ Advisory Task Force.

“Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate love, acceptance, and the strength of the LGBTQ+ community here in Hudson County and across our nation,” Guy said. “We are proud to raise the Pride flag as a symbol of solidarity and inclusion, and we are honored to recognize the history and sacrifices of those impacted by the HIV/AIDS crisis through today’s panel discussion and the display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.”

The Hudson County LGBTQ+ Advisory Task Force said the quilt stands as a tribute to lives lost to HIV/AIDS and a reminder of the resilience and advocacy of those affected by the epidemic.

“As we celebrate Pride Month, we also reflect on the history of the LGBTQ+ community, honoring those whose lives and contributions helped pave the way for the progress we continue to pursue today,” the task force said in a joint statement. “We encourage Hudson County residents and visitors to take time to view the Quilt, remember those we have lost, and recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of promoting dignity, equity, compassion, and access to care for all.”

The panel discussion, titled “Showing the Love: Hudson County Lives, HIV/AIDS, and the AIDS Memorial Quilt,” featured Darice Toon, Director of the Hudson County Human and Health Services Department; the Honorable Joseph Turula, presiding judge of the Civil Division for the Hudson Vicinage of the New Jersey Superior Court; and Jonathan Lucas, Finance Director for Hudson Pride Center.