Organizers, residents thank Kewanee for first Pride Festival

At the June 12 Kewanee City Council meeting, community members thanked the Council and the Commission on Human Relations for supporting the city’s first Pride Festival.

Jessica Fornander addressed the Council to thank the community for participating in the event and listed volunteer chairs and partner organizations that helped make the festival successful. She credited the Commission on Human Relations for helping get the event started.

August Wolf, a co-chair and member of the Commission on Human Relations, read a letter from fellow co-chair Sarah Hughes-Calhoun and spoke in his own voice about growing up in Kewanee. In his remarks he said the festival was “a day of love and pride” and described feeling able to participate openly due to community support. He identified himself as a transgender man who grew up in Kewanee and thanked the Commission, Council, Mayor and sponsor organizations for their work.

Mayor Moore also told the Council he attended the Pride Fest and called it well attended and successful. Councilmembers who attended noted the festival’s community partnerships and encouraged continued support for local events.