Celebrating pride amidst brutal alleged attack on transgender high schooler
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — At Golden Valley's sixth annual pride celebration, excitement and vibrancy is in the air, a place where people feel they can be their true selves, without fear of judgment.
"Seeing so many different people, from so many different backgrounds, is really neat," said Luna Longinow from Cottage Grove.
This year's celebration comes amidst allegations of a hateful, brutal attack, not far from Golden Valley, at Hopkins High School.
The victim: 17-year-old transgender student Cobalt Sovereign.
"I was continuously insulted in the hallway before being punched directly in the jaw," said Sovereign.
Injuries, Sovereign said, left her with several breaks in her jaw and fractured teeth.
"Beyond comprehension, you know, as to why someone would you know target another person just for trying to be who they are," said Sovereign's father, Mark Walztoni.
"It was just kind of scary to be in Hopkins," said Aly Hipps from Hopkins.
Hipps is a former student at Hopkins High School and uses they/them pronouns.
"I think it kind of shows that as much as they say they're inclusive to all of us, there's kind of just a lack of respect. As people we're seen as less," said Hipps.
From their booth at Golden Valley pride, Samuel Doten with Reclaim speaks with pride-goers about the orgnization's mental health care and support services for queer and trans youth.
"We know that there is just an increased demand for mental health services across the board," said Doten.
Attacks like these have a ripple effect, Doten said, beyond the intended target. The attack just goes to show, there's so much more work to be done, he said.
"It's that much more important that we show up, that we be affirming, that we make clear that this kind of violence and mistreatment is unacceptable," said Doten.
"People need to be taught when they're young about what to respect and what to leave alone. Just understand people for who they are and if they want to be a different gender than what they were born as, just let them do that," said Max Madden from Brooklyn Center.