MANCHESTER, NH – Those who stand to challenge the existence of such a wonderful and important event like June’s West High School Pride Celebration simply lack understanding of the true meaning and value of what’s going on behind the doors.
Too often we as human beings and particularly Queen City residents allow ourselves to be divided by our differences, grouping ourselves into “us” and “them” in an endless other-ing to make sense of our complexities. And yet Manchester’s diverse cloth of ethnicities, nationalities, backgrounds and identities is what, in my belief, truly makes it the crown jewel of New Hampshire; the everchanging epicenter of food, music, 5K fun-runs and unique small businesses offers a little something for all the endless types of people who comprise it.
With Manchester’s ever-growing number of exciting and variegated events, such as the recent city Pride Festival, as well as the recurring Multicultural Festival and Market, I implore you to dip your toes into what might be unfamiliar territory and explore the people and stories that make our city beautiful. For all who choose to experience it, getting to participate in events like the one at West High and provide resources and platforms that are so necessary for marginalized and LGBTQ+ youth to feel supported, seen, and safe in who they are was such a rewarding and valuable experience for both the community and the students.
I’ve had the opportunity recently come to the semi-forefront of a local team that is the growing dull-roar spearheading many of Manchester and Concord’s celebrations of the diversity in our communities when I joined the outreach team at Concord’s Kimball Jenkins, a cultural art center focused on providing art access and education to all regardless of their background.
KJ has rooted itself in partnerships within our local area set on uplifting those from under-resourced communities, providing platforms and resources to share ideas and stories through art and creativity. We work with paint-covered hands in a vast variety of environments, from a weekly art program at the Waypoint Youth Resource Center where we’re working on decorating space with personalized wall murals (as well as thoroughly educating me on the very complicated rules of Yu-Gi-Oh) to commissions providing an interactive art element to a NH Transfer Station recycling conference; unifying people in the joy and freedom of creating something uniquely their own.
It is both brilliantly fun and inspiring to see the way access to these types of resources and opportunities, to create and self-express, enriches people’s lives as well as their worldviews, especially for teens and young adults.
Creating these types of safe spaces that provide acceptance for young adults is integral to our development in so many ways. For some students, it exists as an exposition and acclimation to an otherwise unfamiliar community and a lesson in understanding their peers and the greater cultural kaleidoscope around them, enveloped in a burst of glitter and dance music.
But even beneath the bright, bold, and colorful surface, allowing space for events like these simultaneously affirms those teens who may be struggling to understand and quantify who they are in the loving, warm hug they just may need. Teachers who care, creating a space and a moment to show their students that they do, in fact, see them for who they are, that they will fulfill their role as educators to care for, guide, and protect them in fostering their academic development and will accept them for they are even if others in their life may not. 
To many students, teachers like West High School’s Richella Simard and her amazing colleagues are the defining figures of their adolescence, always making the attempt to bridge the gap and understand those who may feel lost. Projecting love, light and acceptance, we created a space where community leaders, teachers, drag performers, teens and toddlers could celebrate and uplift the voices of our local queer community and remind students from all backgrounds and identities that they matter and they are never alone.
Fostering these events in our community is not the cultural zeitgeist boogeyman Facebook comments make it out to be. It means being able to provide kids with seemingly endless tables of activities, live entertainment, a photo booth for silly photos with their friends, fun pride-themed swag, leaflets and zines and homemade clothing patches we made together that they get to take home in a bountiful armful of celebratory goodies; with stomach’s full of food and cake provided by local small businesses. It means giving out information on Kimball Jenkins’ art classes and scholarships, local affirming and supportive business and community members, and information on other local organizations like Queerlective hosting events and activities like this all over the city.
These events exist as a celebration of our city and the true and honest people within it. Diverse and complex identities, lives and stories are behind all of Manchester’s bold and unique flavor and flair; the backbone of what makes the city great in its constantly evolving opportunities, businesses and destinations. Allowing spaces to educate and empower our youth in their differences and develop their individuality reminds them to stand strong together and explore their creativity to continue innovating, building, and creating the legacy of our city and community.
You can look out for these photos by Whitney Maca Barney at the Chef’s Kiss exhibition on-site at KJ: 266 N Main St., in Concord.
