Alameda Pride Raises Funds for New LGBTQ+ Teen Center

An estimated $10,000 was raised for Alameda Pride Foundation at their third Alameda Pride celebration on Saturday, October 5. The majority of the money will be used to help fund staffing and physical materials needed for the new LGBTQ+ teen center opening this Friday , on National Coming Out Day .

The Pride celebration was made up of a full day of activities, starting with a 5K Fun Run/Walk in the morning, then Pride in the Park—the main event at Chochenyo Park —and closing with a block party in the evening. Pride in the Park featured about 75 vendors, dozens of speakers, drag shows by Vicky Sparkle-Titz and friends, and performances by San Francisco Pride Band , Dance/10 Performing Arts Center , Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus , and Flock of Seagirls .

Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft , California Attorney General Rob Bonta , Assemblymember Mia Bonta , and Senator Nancy Skinner were special guest speakers at Pride in the Park, showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, representatives came to speak on behalf of Alameda County Supervisor Lena Tam and Congresswoman Barbara Lee .

“We have seen a rise in hate and discrimination, but please know that California will always be a beacon of hope, will always be a bright light showing that no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or how you identify, you belong here, you’re welcome here,” Rob Bonta said at the event.

President and founder of Alameda Pride, Jeramie Andehueson, started Alameda Pride to create a space where everyone could feel safe and included, something he felt he lacked growing up in South Dakota.

“I saw the LGBTQ+ community growing so much and a lot of younger youth coming out and being comfortable with themselves. And I saw so much support from the community. So, I just wanted to create an event for that,” Andehueson said.

Families and people of all ages were in abundance at the Chochenyo Park event despite the heat.

“There’s lots of kids activities and it’s just a really fun event for everyone,” said Alameda Recreation and Parks Department Director Justin Long. He said they expected about three to four thousand people to attend the Pride events throughout the day, including many coming from Oakland and San Francisco.

Some people, such as Megan Gravenhise, traveled even farther. Gravenhise lived in Alameda for 22 years before she moved to Sacramento four years ago, but she took the long drive back to Alameda in order to attend the festivities in support of her niece, Elijah Aranda. Aranda, who goes by both they/them and she/her pronouns, is 12 years old and came out as non-binary in 2022. They said they felt thankful for the support of their family and the Alameda community.

“I’m just really glad that small islands like Alameda are supporting big choices,” Aranda said.

Of course, many Alamedans were in attendance, as well. Teens Halima Marti and Avery Shindo came to show off their pride and help make others feel comfortable with being themselves. “I feel like it’s fun to have such a big piece of resemblance of who I am,” Shindo said of the Pride flags they wore like capes. “And I think it might make other people feel more comfortable showing off their pride too.”

Both Marti and Shindo are gay and were brought up in the same homeschooling community. They said they felt the teen center would be an especially important resource for kids like them, who might not have access to common LGBTQ+ clubs or events that are common in a school setting.

“I think it’ll be really important, especially for younger teens who are still growing up and learning how to socialize,” Shindo said. “It’s really nice to have a place to go and have a sense of belonging there and know that you can meet other people with similar experiences.”

Marti agreed. “There’s so few homeschoolers, right? And even less gay homeschoolers,” she said. “So, that was really an issue (for us).”

Other Alameda residents included Eric Hsu and his husband, James Chambers. They said there was nothing like this event ten years ago, when they first came to Alameda. “The LGBTQ community in Alameda can be kind of invisible,’ Hsu said. “There aren’t a lot of really identified businesses or community events, so having a really good opportunity for everybody to come together is really nice.”

The couple are supportive of the teen center, believing it’s important for Alameda to provide local resources for the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s not just San Francisco, not just Oakland, but the wider Bay Area. There’s a need everywhere. So, Alameda opening a youth center is really great,” Chambers said.

“Especially for kids,”Hsu added. “If the centers are only in, you know, San Francisco or Oakland, it can be hard for them to get to them. So having something that’s close by makes a big difference.”

Andehueson encouraged people who wished to support the Alameda Pride Foundation and the teen center to subscribe to updates on the Alameda Pride website , where they can get information and updates about donations and fundraisers.

Vicky Nguyen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post . Contact her via vicky@alamedapost.com . Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vicky-Nguyen .

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