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Camarillo proclaims June Pride Month as public commenters clash
Summary
The Camarillo City Council presented a Pride Month proclamation to Michelle Burns of the Lawick Foundation; public comment included both objections grounded in religion and expressions of support, and council members emphasized community acceptance and youth well-being.
The Camarillo City Council on an evening meeting issued a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month and presented it to Michelle Burns, director of the Lawick Foundation and co-founder of Camarillo Pride. "Lawick stands for love always wins in Camarillo," Burns said, and she told the council the festival drew "between 1,500 and maybe 1,700 people" this year and that the group plans year-round supports including a parents group.
The proclamation followed introductory remarks from the mayor and a short presentation. After the presentation, three members of the public spoke during the allotted comment period. Doug Boyce said he supports gay and lesbian people in the audience but questioned the focus: "why are we giving all this publicity to one small percent of our community when we should be celebrating for the whole year as proud Americans," he said. Jacob England delivered a religiously framed objection, reading scripture and urging residents to "turn from any level of pride." Spencer Richie, who identified as an LGBTQIA Camarillo resident, thanked the council: "thank you so incredibly much for still declaring June to be Pride Month," and said the recognition is important for local LGBTQ people.
Vice Mayor Martinez Bravo framed the proclamation as more than symbolic, citing research and local public-health concerns: she said national surveys show high rates of mental-health risk among LGBTQ youth and described acceptance and inclusion as protective factors. "For our LGBTQ youth, especially seeing elected officials such as all of us here today publicly affirm that their identities can send a powerful message of safety, acceptance, and hope," she said.
No formal action beyond the presentation was required; the council transitioned to other agenda items after public comment. The proclamation will remain a symbolic affirmation of inclusivity; council members noted ongoing and past support for community events and services.
Next steps: council members encouraged continued community engagement and the Lawick Foundation described plans to expand programming and safe spaces going forward.
