It was a beautiful sunny day for Middletown’s annual Pride Parade this Saturday, and for the first time CEA members joined in the parade as a group—marching under the CEA Pride banner.
“Everywhere we went along the parade route people were yelling, ‘We love teachers!'” said CEA Organizer Chris Teifke. “It was a very affirming afternoon. I think it means a lot to people to know the teachers’ union has a Pride group and use our influence to support students and families.”
“I go to Middletown Pride every year, and I was so excited to hear CEA was going to be marching this year, so I’m here to represent all of our teachers who do good work for kids,” said Glastonbury Education Association President Kristen Basiaga.
Participating in the parade was an opportunity to increase visibility for the relatively new group, which was decked out in CEA Pride shirts and carried CEA Pride banners, and let more people know that CEA has an LGBTQ+ advocacy wing. Get your CEA Pride shirt.
The parade is part of Middletown PrideFEST, Connecticut’s largest Pride event held annually on the first Saturday in June. It regularly draws over 20,000 people to downtown Middletown including elected officials such as Senator Richard Blumenthal who stopped by to say hello to the CEA Pride group (pictured above).
“Especially as this group is so new, it’s important to have the opportunity to showcase our group,” said Manchester teacher and CEA-Pride Co-Chair Amythest Mason. “CEA Pride is a way for me to support my own rights, my students’ rights, and be that representation I needed as a kid as well as be a resource for my colleagues, students, families—whatever they need. ”
“We want all educators to know there is space in the union for them, no matter who they are,” Teifke said.
“I’m a Middletown resident and my daughter is marching with her GSA here today. We come here every year, and I’m happy to be joining her marching this year as a teacher,” said Newington educator Michelle Laccone. “I’m so happy to be here. As teachers we’re supporting each other but also showing our students that we support diversity and inclusion and that we support all of our students.”
“It’s important for teachers to show representation for their students, to show students that we care, and that we are here to support them,” said Branford teacher Jeffrey Rizzo. “As a teacher of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I find it important to show representation in my classroom, to show students that there are others like them out there, and that there are avenues of support through their educators.”
CEA Pride has had a busy year with members participating in everything from protests against restrictions on flying LGBTQ+ flags and bans on books to hosting a CEA Pride brunch, taking part in Hartford Pride Fest, participating in NEA’s LGBTQ+ Caucus—and the group will soon by sending delegates to the NEA Racial and Social Justice Conference.
The group has also distributed over 1,000 safe space, “I’m here,” badges to educators who want students to know they’re a safe person to talk to and has plans to distribute another 2,000 next year. CEA Pride plans to have a presence at both the Hartford and New Haven Pride events that take place in September and is also planning a CEA Pride Drag Brunch and a social media campaign about being an LGBTQ+ educator.
Click here to learn more about CEA Pride. Contact Chris Teifke to get involved and be added to the CEA Pride email list to find out about upcoming events and activities.
