Letter to the Editor: Sturgeon Bay Declares June Open Door Pride Month

At the June 2 Sturgeon Bay Common Council meeting, Mayor David Ward presented Open Door Pride with a proclamation declaring June as Open Door Pride Month in the City of Sturgeon Bay.

As a founding member of Open Door Pride, I am filled with Pride each year that we publicly receive a proclamation. Proclaiming June as Open Door Pride Month is especially meaningful because we have had to cancel our fourth annual Open Door Pride Festival on June 27 in Martin Park because of COVID-19. 

Our festival might be canceled, but not our Pride. Last year’s festival was a beautiful day and brought hundreds of people from all over Door County and beyond. A highlight was witnessing Alder David Hayes publicly reading the proclamation with heartfelt knowledge that words and actions matter. The entire day couldn’t have been more joyful.

Receiving a month-long proclamation shows that our community is represented by our government. We are stronger when we are in this together. June is recognized nationally as Pride Month. 

Open Door Pride is a grassroots organization working within the City of Sturgeon Bay and throughout Door County to ensure that this is a safe and welcoming place for all to live, work and visit. We represent a mission to affirm our LGBTQIA+ community’s diversity through inclusion for all. 

Pride symbols big and small show the richness of our society, which is only made stronger when we celebrate and support our diversity. We continue to celebrate our Pride year-round, and we are looking forward to engaging more residents and visitors in joining our mission. Find more information at opendoorpride.org.

We thank Mayor Ward and the Common Council for this proclamation. 

Cathy Grier 

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Open Door Pride Committee: 

James Champion, Steve Makovec, Cynthia Germain, 

Sandy Brown, Jerod Santek, Robin Newman, Jodi Milske