Orlando Gay Chorus performs during the 12th annual Orlando VA Pride Month Celebration. (Photo by Jeremy Williams)
ORLANDO | The Orlando VA Medical Center hosted its 12th annual Pride Month Celebration at its Lake Baldwin clinic June 14.
The event featured dozens of LGBTQ organizations, both from the VA and the local community, refreshments, live performances by the Orlando Gay Chorus and Crazy Flute, and an appearance by state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who spoke to the crowd about working with and honoring LGBTQ veterans.
The event’s planning and organization was led by Keri Griffin, the Orlando VA’s LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Program Coordinator & Special Emphasis Program Manager.
“We started in our little auditorium here at Lake Baldwin 12 years ago with like five tables,” Griffin recalls, “then over the years it grew and grew until we couldn’t hold it in the auditorium here so we moved it to the Lake Nona auditorium. Then COVID hit so we had to move the event outdoors and this year decided we wanted to bring it back to Lake Baldwin, and we do this because we want to show our support for the LGTQ community and especially to our LGBTQ veterans.”
It wasn’t just the event that started small, Griffin says, as the first few Pride Month celebrations were supported by only a few staff and patients.
“To go from that to now this is incredible,” Griffin says. “Last year we had the VA Secretary attend our event, that was a huge deal. I’m just so happy with how the support for this event has grown, with the staff, with the veterans. Our motto at the VA is we serve ALL who served, not just some.”
Check out the photos from today’s event and if you are an LGBTQ veteran, visit PatientCare.VA.gov/LGBT for information on VA resources available to you.
Photos by Jeremy Williams.
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