'Love, Collaboration & Mutual Aid': Flag Raising Marks Pride Month In South Brunswick

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Township officials, residents and community members gathered at the Municipal Building on June 3 for a Pride flag-raising ceremony recognizing Pride Month.

Representing the Township at the ceremony were Mayor Charlie Carley, Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman, Councilwoman Archana “Ann” Grover, Councilwoman Patty Germain and Township Manager Bryan Bidlack.

In his remarks, Mayor Carley reflected on kindness and acceptance, as the ceremony aims to reaffirm the township’s commitment to fostering community for all.

“The progress of human dignity … isn’t found in noise or spectacle … but in the simple courage of people living their truth, and in the everyday choice to expand our hearts," Carley said.

Following the mayor’s remarks, township officials joined Louise Walpin and Marsha Shapiro in raising the Pride flag at the Municipal Building, where it will fly throughout June.

The township also presented Walpin and Shapiro with a copy of its Pride Month proclamation in recognition of their longstanding advocacy for LGBTQ rights and marriage equality in New Jersey.

“The rights we enjoy today were earned through courage, persistence and collective action," Shapiro said. "Ordinary people throughout the ages decided they would no longer accept being treated as less than equal.”

Walpin highlighted her work as a co-founder of the Trans Rights Coalition of New Jersey and discussed ongoing efforts to protect access to gender-affirming healthcare and advance equality for transgender residents.

“Pride means standing with all vulnerable communities,” Walpin said. “It will never be measured by how far we have come alone, but rather by how willing we are to continue moving forward together."

"Our love, collaboration and mutual aid is our greatest strength.”

The ceremony followed the Township Council’s adoption of a resolution proclaiming June as Pride Month and reaffirming the township’s commitment to human dignity awareness within the community, officials said.