Thanks to 5-8 Grill & Tap for their support. From $8 Juicy Lucy Mondays to hand battered fish Fry-days and new weekend breakfast, try the 5-8 for great food at a great value every day.
The fourth annual WSP Pride event happened this weekend with more than 500 people in attendance and a Community Advocate award given to a local community member.
West St. Paul’s Pride weekend included a Friday skate night at Harmon Park with members of the Minnesota Roller Derby and free skate rental, and then the Saturday main event at the Sports Complex with free food, vendors, entertainment, silent auction, and more.
Entertainment: This year’s entertainment included the ever-popular Wild Rose Cloggers, the Queer Circus with crowd-pleasing fire breathing, Maria Isa and the Drums featuring State Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, students from Heritage E-STEM Middle School, and more.
Numbers:
- 550 hot dogs: Free food included chips and hot dogs, and they handed out 550 hot dogs before running out.
- 69 vendors: Local community organizations and businesses showed up to connect and sell their wares, including free coffee samples from Dunkin’, the Minnesota Aurora with mascot Rory, Ella’s Dragons, local churches, and all kinds of Pride merchandise.
- 43 silent auction items: Various local businesses and organizations around the Twin Cities donated items, and the proceeds help fund the event.
- 35+ volunteers: While the WSP Pride organizing committee includes two City Council members, WSP Pride is an independent organization run by local volunteers.
Next year: Dates have already been announced for WSP Pride in 2024—July 12-13.
Community Advocate
WSP Pride presented the Community Advocate award to Nicholas Hager, a West St. Paul resident who serves at Heritage E-STEM Middle School as the choir director and Gender/Sexuality Alliance (GSA) advisor.
Why: Hager was nominated for “his work in creating safe, supportive, inclusive and affirming spaces for students, staff and families who identify as part of the local LGBTQIA+ community in our local school district,” according to a statement read at WSP Pride.
“[GSA is essential because it serves as a] space within schools where queer students can feel authentically themselves,” Hager said. “They create a safe space where everyone is welcome to show up and not fear backlash from others.”
- Student support: He helps unite LGBTQ+ students and allies as they build community and organize to address issues impacting their school and community.
- Parent support: In his role as GSA advisor, Hager saw a need for a support group for parents and guardians of LGBTQ+ students. He launched a monthly support group and facilitates it with a colleague.
- National impact: Along with two colleagues, Hager shared the parent/guardian support group at the Creating Change conference, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ conference in San Francisco.
- Equity specialist: Hager also serves as an equity specialist in the district, where he provides targeted support, helps LGBTQ+ affinity groups, and collaborates with other GSA advisors.
“It’s not only creating allies for families like mine, but it’s allowing students and adults to feel safe as they learn to become their authentic selves,” said Wendy Berry, a West St. Paul City Council member, one of the organizers of WSP Pride, and a parent of two children in ISD 197. “Our school district is lucky to have him in his role, and our community as a whole will continue to become a more welcoming and inclusive place because of him.”
Past advocates: Previous recipients of the Community Advocate award include Connye LaCombe in 2021 and Allie Steffan in 2022.
Member support makes our neighborhood news freely available and not locked behind a paywall. Join now to keep your community informed.
