City of Beverly Hills holds inaugural Pride event to kickoff Pride Month

Music blared outside the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills as a crowd gathered to celebrate the start of Pride Month. 

The Community Services Department hosted the first Pride Night in the city's history. 

Those in attendance walked down a pink carpet, posed for pictures and received gifts. Many of the people CBSLA spoke to said a Pride Night event in Beverly Hills was long overdue. 

"I think it's like representation matters," said attendee Jermaine Jackson, "and i think when you show up, it shows other people they can be supported and loved and be authentic and be true to who they are." 

Beverly Hills Mayor Lili Bosse said the inaugural event is part of the city's commitment to celebrate diversity and inclusion. 

"We're going to really show the world that Beverly Hills is welcoming and we really are prideful," Bosse said and added that it's great to be together again, face to face, and celebrate. 

J.J. Duncan brought her daughter to Pride Night, saying it's important for Madeline to know about the struggles and milestones within the LGBT community. 

"Back in the day, before her mom and I were married, we marched for gay rights and I was explaining to her the history of it. To see our state and our city and everyone around us really evolve to the space where it's not only okay, but it's celebrated is something that's just beyond special and it's just a great world for her to grow up in," Duncan said. 

Her daughter Madeline agreed. 

"I think it's really cool, too, that everyone is coming here to do this and participate in this," she said.