Mayr Kahn read a proclamation to proclaim September 14-21, 2025, as Pride Week in Keene, as an expression of our community’s support for our LGBTQIA2+ residents.Keene Pride and the City of Keene share a goal of creating an environment where everyone regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity can feel safe and valued. The City Council determined it best to take a pause on its discussions of updating its 2021 inclusive and welcoming statement and declare what was found that we share, rather than debate our differences. The City Council has charged the Mayor with issuing a proclamation which identifies common elements of what it means for Keene to be a welcoming and inclusive City that promotes unity, pledges support for marginalized groups and condemns acts of racism, hate, bigotry, and prejudice in our city. For thousands of years, “Love thy neighbor as thyself” guided people to offer others the same degree of compassion, care, and respect they desire for themselves. As we approach the 250th year celebration of the nation’s Declaration of Independence, we recall how it assigns to the people “certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. The public observes a hostile environment toward people identifying as LGBTQIA2+: where state law prohibits implicit bias training; where federal rhetoric places restrictions on LGBTQ military service and healthcare access; and when LBGTQ students face shaming, loss of privileges, and prohibitions of books and classroom discussions. Individually, we can choose to differ on matters of national and state policy and legislation, but as a City Council, we act without partisan labels to ensure that, within our city’s borders, all are treated consistently, fairly and with justice for all. We as leaders in Keene share an obligation to create safe spaces where people can exchange directly their fears for themselves and others, and where we can learn from each other’s lived experiences. The City of Keene is dedicated to building a community where all individuals feel safe and respected, where people feel a sense of belonging, and where all can believe in a future for themselves and their families without fear of intimidation or harassment.
