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- The (Bi)weekly Kiki | June 28
The (Bi)weekly Kiki | June 28
Meriden Pride Community Center
We still have one more event for Pride Month…
Queer Trivia is TODAY! Join us for an afternoon of family-friendly queer trivia at Grace’s Place & The Rino Stage. Fun fact: Grace’s Place is queer-owned! It’s a really cozy place to enjoy coffee, a mocktail, or a sweet treat. Test your knowledge and win prizes!
Did you have fun at all the Pride events this month? Consider joining us for our Pride Fest on August 15 as a volunteer! Sign up now. We have free food for you. 🍕
CLOSURE: We will be closed July 4-5 for the holiday.
With Pride,
-The Meriden Pride Team
Table of Contents
This moment in Queerstory 🪶
Stonewall Day
Pride started as a riot. Through the 1960s, almost everything about living openly as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person was a violation of law, rule, or policy. New York City’s prohibitions against homosexual activities were particularly harsh. People were arrested for wearing fewer than three articles of clothing that matched their sex. Serving alcoholic beverages to homosexuals was prohibited. For married men and women who lived homosexual lives in secret, blackmail was a constant threat. Discrimination and fear were tools to isolate people when homosexuality was hidden. After Stonewall, being “out and proud” in numbers was a key strategy that strengthened the movement.
“By the time of Stonewall...we had 50-60 gay groups in the country. A year later, there were at least 1,500. By two years later, to the extent that counts could be made, it was 2,500. And that was the impact of Stonewall.”
Our work is not done. In February 2025, the Trump administration removed all mentions of transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website. An excerpt from a statement made by GLAAD in response reads:
“The decision to change “LGBTQ” to “LGB” on the Stonewall National Monument page is yet another example of the Trump administration’s blatant attempts to discriminate against and erase the legacies of transgender and queer Americans. The Stonewall Uprising – a monumental moment in the fight for LGBTQ rights – would not have happened without the leadership of transgender and gender non-conforming people. The tireless work of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and countless other trans women of color paved the way and continues to inspire us. You can try to erase our history, but we will never forget those who came before us, and we will continue to fight for all those who will come after us. …
… The Stonewall Inn and The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative stand unwaveringly in solidarity with the transgender community and all who fight for full equality, and we will not rest until this grave injustice is corrected.”
Source/Read More: Stonewall National Monument
June Events 🏳️🌈
6/28, Pride & Thrive: Queer Trivia. 2-4:00 p.m. @ Grace’s Place and the Rino Stage
Please check our Facebook pages to RSVP to events. If you’re not already a member, join the private group for Meriden Pride. (Main FB page | Private group)
Observances
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month!
(28) Stonewall Day
(30) Queer Youth of Faith Day
July Events 😎
Meriden Pride is 100% ran by volunteers. That includes the committee! We can’t begin to thank everyone enough who shows up for our community, whether it be at a parade, a fest, or our center. You are the heart of Meriden Pride, and we could not have the impact we have without you. Thank you for being you.
We hope you can stop in for our volunteer appreciation party at Grace’s Place! Mix and mingle with other volunteers and have some food, on us. (Email us if you have any dietary restrictions.)
7/14, Meriden Pride Volunteer Appreciation Party! 6-8:30 p.m. @ Grace’s Place & The Rino Stage
7/15, Gayme Night: Dragonlings. 5-8 p.m. @ Grace’s Place & The Rino Stage
7/25, Hartford Black Pride. Noon-5 p.m. @ 75 Sterling Street, Hartford
7/26, Community Conversations with Q+. 1-2:30 p.m. @ Meriden Pride Center (328 Paddock Avenue)
7/28, The Pelvic Low-Down: Demystifying Pelvic Health & Sexual Wellness with Rooted Embodiment Pelvic Health. 6:30-7:30 p.m. @ Zoom (to register, email us at [email protected])
CENTER CLOSURES: July 4-5
Please check our Facebook pages to RSVP to events. If you’re not already a member, join the private group for Meriden Pride. (Main FB page | Private group)
Observances
(13) Lesbian Aunts Day
(13-19) Nonbinary Awareness Week
(14) International Nonbinary People’s Day
(16) International Drag Day
Volunteer Opportunities 🙌
Connect with the local LGBTQ+ community! We’d love to have your help at events. Please fill out a volunteer form if you would like to volunteer with us.
Right now, we need volunteers for:
Event support for Meriden Pride Fest - August 15 (sign-up form)
Staffing the center with a committee member on Saturdays and Sundays
Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions. We are stronger together!
SAVE THE DATE: We are having a volunteer appreciation gathering at Grace’s Place and the Rino Stage on July 14 from 6-8:30 p.m.! We’ll have food. 🍕
About the Community Center 🌈
The Meriden Pride Community Center offers a wide range of free resources and support services to empower and assist the community, including:
Sexual health supplies such as male and female condoms, dental dams, and lubrication
Free at-home COVID-19 test kits, Narcan overdose prevention kits, and blood glucose meters for health monitoring
Assistance with applications for heating and renters’ reimbursement programs
Personalized help connecting to broader city and state services
Borrowing books from our LGBTQ+ library
Complimentary internet and printing access
Committed to holistic support, the center strives to address immediate and long-term needs through its inclusive and accessible offerings.
Community Center Hours
Saturdays, 12-4 p.m.
Sundays, 12-4 p.m.
Donate to the Center 💝
Every donation fuels our mission to uplift the Greater Meriden LGBTQ+ community through free, accessible programming that celebrates identity, fosters belonging, and sparks joy. From inclusive workshops and peer support networks to vibrant Pride events and educational resources, we create safe spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive. Led entirely by volunteers, our work is powered by your generosity—ensuring queer voices are heard, stories are celebrated, and no one faces barriers to connection. Together, we’re building a world where everyone can live authentically, proudly, and without compromise.