July 2, 2021

City officially recognizes Pride Month, Juneteenth for first time in city history

The Madera City Council passed two proclamations during the month of June intended to recognize and celebrate Madera’s diverse culture.

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During June, the Madera City Council made history two times when they passed proclamations aimed squarely at recognizing and celebrating Madera’s united and diverse community.

On June 2, 2021, Madera Mayor Santos Garcia signed a proclamation that officially recorded the month of June as Pride Month in the City of Madera.

At the following City Council meeting on June 16, 2021, Mayor Garcia signed a proclamation recognizing Saturday, June 19, as Juneteenth in Madera.

Pride Month recognizes the impact LGBTQ+ individuals have had on equality and civil rights locally, nationally, and globally. It aims to increase understanding of and reduce violence toward members of the LGBTQ+ community, while Juneteenth commemorates the historic date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned they were free: more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and 71 days after the Civil War ended.

Mayor Garcia joined Councilwoman Anita Evans on June 19th for a celebratory event at Courthouse Park, where proclamations recognizing Juneteenth, and honoring the achievements of the late Lee Evans, former two-time Olympic gold medalist of Madera, were presented.

“Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration about the end of slavery in the United States,” said Mayor Garcia. “Juneteenth not only commemorates African American freedom but also emphasizes education, self-improvement, and the achievements of the African-American community.”

When asked by a resident on social media about his thoughts on Pride Month, Mayor Garcia responded, “As mayor of the City of Madera, I represent everyone. Our community is made up of all different kinds of residents. Madera welcomes everyone.”