From A Distance, With Love: LGBTQ Pride Event At Clara Maass

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Community members celebrated National Pride Month with a socially distant car caravan and flag raising ceremony at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville earlier this week.

During the event, employees at the hospital volunteered to decorate their vehicles with signs and ribbons. With music and horns blaring, the participants sought to raise awareness about the month designated to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots and ongoing efforts to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans.

The 15-car caravan assembled at the corner of Magnolia and Newark Avenues and traveled through the medical center’s campus, waving to employees and onlookers as it moved slowly along Clara Maass Drive and back to Newark Avenue. On its third journey around the campus, the caravan entered the parking deck where it was met with the sound of music provided by DJ Rich.

The event also included the hospital’s signature rainbow cookies, which were distributed to a small group of employees in attendance.

All participants practiced social distancing and wore a mask or face covering, as is required of all visitors to the campus, hospital administrators said.

“At Clara Maass, we celebrate National Pride Month each year because we welcome people of all kinds and backgrounds, no matter what” said Mary Ellen Clyne, president and CEO of Clara Maass Medical Center.

“Now more than ever before, it is especially important for us to demonstrate love and support in every way possible for every member of our community, and today’s flag raising is just one example,” Clyne said.

“We’ve had to be incredibly creative this year about how we would recognize Pride Month this year, and the car caravan seemed to be a great way to celebrate in a safe but fun way” said Desyra Highsmith-Holcomb, the hospital’s director of diversity and inclusion.

“In the end, our team had a wonderful time to dance, laugh and demonstrate support for our colleagues, friends, family and the LGBTQ community,” Highsmith-Holcomb said.

In 2018 and 2019, Clara Maass Medical Center, a facility of RWJBarnabas Health earned the Healthcare Equity Index (HEI), the national benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.

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