"It's so nice to have a chance to have a Pride that's local," said Somos Familia Valle volunteer Nelly Ruvalcaba. "I remember when I was a teen having to take bus and Metro to get to L.A. Pride. So, it's great we have one in the community focused on the people of the San Fernando Valley."
[Ads /]
Somos Familia Valle is a community-based organization presenting this year's Pride event.
"This year, I'm very excited for the San Fernando Valley Pride because we made it even bigger. I'm the host, so I'm extremely excited," said Somos Familia Valle panelist Calypso Jeté Balmain. "I have some cool things planned out. We have new events and some amazing performers. We got new friends and family members coming out."
"We have been growing for the last seven years doing this event. We're going to introduce our first LGBTQ+ youth scholarship. So we're really excited to just involve the whole community because it is a whole community process to create such an important event that we don't see in the valley," said Somos Familia Valle President Kevin Perez.
The San Fernando Valley Pride event will go from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and members from the organization say everyone is welcome.
"It's a free event where you can come out there and just go express yourself. And don't worry about who's going to judge you and who's going to care," Balmain said.
[Ads /]
"Pride month for me means celebrating community and building community. And we're really here to create more LGBTQ spaces in the valley," Perez said.
Follow Amanda on social media:
Facebook.com/ABC7Amanda
Twitter.com/ABC7Amanda
Instagram.com/ABC7Amanda