City of Perris Pride Month
By Mia Rotell
Last Saturday at the City of Perris Public Library, Perris Mayor Michael Vargas presented R.I.S.E. Perris Pride, a local LGBTQ+ organization, with a proclamation officially recognizing June as Pride Month for the City of Perris.
“(Perris has a) diverse culture,” Vargas said. “The Constitution protects anybody from discrimination…it’s important we support that.”
The event welcomed people from across the community, including Samantha Duarte.
Duarte attended with and in support of her daughter, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Duarte said she and her daughter typically have to drive to Riverside or outside the county to find community, but having an event in Perris makes it much more comfortable.
“(R.I.S.E. Perris Pride events) make (Perris) feel more inclusive and more welcoming,” Duarte said.
Ashley Williamson is a co-founder of R.I.S.E. Perris Pride and helped coordinate the event as part of a broader effort to increase LGBTQ+ representation in Perris.
Williamson said Temecula, to the south, and Riverside, to the north of Perris, both have a strong LGBTQ+ community. She wanted to help fill the mid-county gap.
“The main goal is just to be out and proud as LGBTQ+ folks in Perris,” Williamson said. “It can just mean so much to know that your city is behind you.”
To learn more or get involved, meetings are held at the City of Perris Public Library from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of every month.
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