Councilwoman Lauren Cazares, La Mesa’s first openly LGBTQ+ elected official, was scheduled to lead the city’s fifth annual LGBTQ+ Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall, joined by local elected officials, community leaders and members of the clergy.
The event followed the City Council and mayor’s official proclamation recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in La Mesa, reaffirming the city’s stated commitment to equality and inclusion.
Attendees were to include Cazares, Councilwoman Genevieve Suzuki, Helix Water District Director Andrea Beth Damsky and La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Trustee Brianna Coston. Damsky was the first member of the LGBTQ+ community elected in East County.
“Raising the Pride flag each year renews our promise: hate has no place in La Mesa — not in our policies, our streets, or our future,” said Councilwoman Lauren Cazares.
La Mesa first raised the pride flag in June 2020 after a unanimous vote by the City Council. That initial ceremony was sparked in part by community advocacy and the donation of the flag by resident Dave Myers. It marked what city officials described as a significant turning point in La Mesa’s efforts toward inclusion and visibility.
