Hoboken Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla will hold a raising of the Pride Flag to commemorate LGBTQ Pride Month on Monday, June 4 at 1 p.m. outside of City Hall. The lamp posts outside City Hall will shine in rainbow lights beginning that evening and will last for the duration of June.

“I am honored to commemorate my first Pride Month as Mayor,” said Bhalla. “It’s a symbolic act, but it’s important to understand how far the LGBTQ community has come in fighting for equal protection under the law as we continue the work of unraveling centuries of legalized discrimination.”

Speakers at the flag raising include:

• Mayor Bhalla
• Sergeant Major Jennifer Long (Retired)
• Michael Billy, Chief Executive Officer of Hudson Pride Center

At the flag raising, Billy will announce details about Hoboken’s role in the Hudson Pride festivities in August.

“The events of Pride month exemplify the strength and growth of our LGBTQ+ & allied community,” said Billy. “This year, for the first time ever, the city of Hoboken will officially kick off Pride Month in Hudson County. Hoboken Pride emphasizes the importance of diversity in our community, making it stronger and more accepting of all individuals and their contributions to society.”

In April, Bhalla introduced a city-wide ordinance, which was signed into law earlier this month, protecting restroom access for transgender and gender non-binary individuals. Also in May, the City repealed an archaic ordinance which had outlawed “female impersonators” in Hoboken bars.

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