By KELLY DOLEJSI
Friends of Los Alamos Pride
Many Los Alamos businesses — including many Friends of Los Alamos Pride hasn’t had a chance to speak to in depth — stand behind Los Alamos’ LGBTQ+ residents.
Aspen Copies
The owners of Aspen Copies, Dawn and James Cline, have a sign in their front window that James said expresses their feelings. It reads, “Hate has no business here,” followed by statements of respect for and allyship with women, people of color, immigrants, refugees, people of different faiths and different abilities, and LBGT community members. The sign includes welcoming messages in several languages besides English.
“We want people to feel comfortable and safe in our store,” James said.
Aspen Copies also helped Friends of Los Alamos Pride by printing promotional materials free of charge. (https://www.aspencopies.com/)
PEEC
Executive Director Katherine Bruell of the Los Alamos Nature Center said, “We at PEEC are thrilled that Los Alamos has such an active and vibrant Pride-supporting community! It’s been great to see this festival blossom and grow over the past few years, and we’re looking forward to being a part of it however we can.” (https://peecnature.org/)
Attorney Wendy Marcus
Attorney Wendy Marcus is an LGBTQ-friendly attorney who writes estate plans, wills, trusts, and other legal documents for Los Alamos residents.
“I had my first LGBTQ+ couple clients about 15 years ago here,” Marcus said. “At that time, LGBTQ couples’ estate plans had to look very different from a married couple. Even now with gay marriage, there are still some issues that have to be handled differently. My LGBTQ+ clients almost always remark that they have felt judged and humiliated when working with other attorneys. They appreciate that I treat them the same as everyone else. Love is love!” (wendy@wendymarcus.com)
New Mexico Consortium and Los Alamos Coop
The NM Consortium and the Los Alamos Coop have also expressed support for Pride and the LGBTQ+ community. (https://newmexicoconsortium.
Two successful Pride Weeks and one pandemic later, Pride Week runs through Sunday in Los Alamos. This year’s theme is “Coming Out After COVID”.
The first Pride march in New York City was held June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising (link). Fifty-one years later, towns and cities across the United States continue to celebrate gay pride and to advocate for LGBTQ+ people, year-round but especially in June. Many in Los Alamos are excited to share in the celebration, including many local business owners.