 The Outlet Program honored members of the Los Altos Gay/Straight Alliance at Outlet’s “Out to Eat” banquet Thursday. |
The Los Altos City Council will consider Tuesday whether to approve and partly fund a youth-oriented parade with the 20-member Los Altos High School Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) as its centerpiece.
Plans for the June 4 parade are in early development, according to Henry Roux, co-chairman of the Los Altos Alliance for Youth, a group of former mayors, business leaders and other residents pushing for the parade. The Los Altos Community Foundation is sponsoring the parade.
Every participant in the event must get a permit. The parade is expected to include floats from local groups and end with student and adult speakers at the city plaza.
The Los Altos GSA and the Los Altos Congregational Church are the only entrants thus far, with the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union School District and the Rotary Club of Mountain View serving as honorary co-hosts. The Los Altos Village Association Board is set to vote on participation today. Los Altos Rotary Club has tabled discussion of co-hosting indefinitely, possibly until after the council’s decision. Roux said other hosts and parade marchers are also awaiting the council’s decision.
Because the non-profit Community Foundation agreed to sponsor the parade, organizers are eligible for matching funds from the city for city-related costs, estimated at $12,000. The total cost including insurance and other expenses is expected to be about $15,000. The Los Altos High School GSA will contribute $1,000 raised by such activities as a raffle and a gay film festival, according to LAHS junior and GSA member Julie Ershadi, 16. Private donations to the Alliance for Youth are expected to contribute significant funding.
Former Mayor Bob Grimm said he became involved in the planning because of his experience with the Festival of Lights parade.
“I also support the idea of a group of students that is trying to show respect between people,” he said. “That is, to me, very positive in the community.”
Mayor Ron Packard said he thinks the parade is unnecessary: “The citizens of Los Altos are highly educated and already extremely tolerant and respectful of others, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.”
Roux said he had been encouraged by the respectful, thoughtful feedback he has received from residents on both sides of the issue.
“I’m rather proud of the responses from people in our community,” he said. “They have to a large degree elevated my assurance that we do truly live in a community that is very concerned about its youth.”
