Klamath Pride 2022, a free community gathering, is being hosted on July 16th, 2022 at Veterans Park to celebrate community inclusion. This event is family friendly and will have all-ages socializing, activities, booths, community resources and support, music, and performances! Many local volunteers, youth, businesses, and organizations are coming together to help celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and build allyship.

In recent days, there has been some community feedback on Facebook about the hosting of the Pride event, and the social service agencies involved. This Pride event is not hosted or sponsored by just one agency but is a community driven event planned by many individuals and agencies who came together. Many of the participating social service agencies are a part of this event because within their programs, they serve LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit clients. And through this work, they see the need for equitable LGBTQ+ specific services and outreach here in Klamath County. It is important for our agencies to show up for our LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit clients in allyship, to create safe and affirming community spaces, and help them connect to community resources and build resiliency.

LGBTQ+ individuals are at higher risk for outcomes like:

Self-harm and suicide
Human trafficking
Sexual assault
Victimization & Violence
Alcohol and substance use

LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit Youth are especially disproportionately exposed to bias, stigma, and victimization during critical developmental moments within their lives. And there are many more causes of the disparities faced by LGBTQ+ people. These include:

The minority status of LGBTQ+ people
A lack of specific education and training for health care & social service workers
Barriers to care
Limited role models
Fear due to stigma, discrimination, and institutional bias in systems

It is for these reasons that our local service agencies aim to better serve the LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit community here in Klamath County and why supporting Klamath Pride and conducting outreach is so important to all of us. By welcoming and celebrating diversity, we strive to amplify the experiences and voices of marginalized people. As an isolated, rural, underserved community this event helps ensure our agencies have the capacity to insert critical supports into the lives of our at-risk LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit community and youth. We are looking forward to creating positive spaces, community, and connectivity during Klamath’s Pride. We hope to see you on July 16th to share community with you.

This joint message is brought to you by our local social service agencies participating in Klamath Pride including:

Oregon Department of Human Services
Klamath Basin Behavioral Health
Citizens For Safe Schools
You Matter to Klamath Suicide Awareness Coalition
Red is the Road to Wellness
The Klamath Advocacy Center
The Linkville Players

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