With the snip of a bright pink ribbon Saturday, Montgomery County opened its first ever brick and mortar LGBTQ+ Pride Center.
MoCo Pride Center is located at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center. It includes space for workshops, gatherings, wellness activities, a library and will be “a permanent safe haven,” according to many of the event speakers
Saturday was a day of celebration and joy with drag performances, face painting and lots of camaraderie. It will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Official Endorsements
“It’s a long time coming, and we are going to celebrate all day long,” declared Council President Kate Stewart. “We are going to celebrate it, and we are going to shout it out,” she said, adding, “It is about our values. It is about living here.”
“I want you to know, you belong here. We see you,” declared Executive Marc Elrich.
“This is an incredible day. I know it’s a ribbon cutting, but it already feels like a home coming,” said Councilmember Evan Glass.
Pride Network Members
The Montgomery County Pride Family Resource Center is home to a deeply interwoven network of LGBTQIA+ organizations working collaboratively to advance justice, wellness, and celebration. Organizations include MoCo Pride Prom, Live in Your Truth, Trans Maryland, Drag Story Hour DC/MD/VA, Marylan Trans Unity, Poolesville Pride and The Coalition for Inclusive Schools and Communities.
Montgomery County allocated $500,000 for the center in its Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
