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June, in collaboration with MenDi Complex, will be hosting QUEERTOPIA: Pampanga Pride Party on June 28, 2025, from 5pm to 12am at MenDi Complex in Angeles City to commemorate Pride Month.

The event will take place on the same day 56 years ago that the Stonewall Riots occurred, sparking the formation of the global gay rights movement. Hence, the chosen date for the party.

Queertopia is an event organized by June, a collective of queer people, with the goal of providing an enjoyable and safe space for and with the community that feels like home, catering those who struggle to find their place in society due to their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression or SOGIE. This gathering allows the LGBTQIA+ individuals to celebrate their collective wins as a dynamic and powerful community as each individual thrives despite the challenges that shaped them into the people they are today.

During an exclusive interview with The Access Point, Erron Hernandez, a member of June, stated that their motivation in organizing this event includes the thought of the LGBTQIA+ community. “We want the younger members of the community who are confused and in fear to know that there will always be a safe space for them to become who they truly are.” he added.

The upcoming Pride Party will feature a flea market, an exhibit showcasing queer arts, free Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing, performances from the community’s highly creative members, inspirational messages, a party, and much more. The event is free and will be open to everyone who supports LGBTQIA+ people’s basic right to live and thrive, as the collective wishes to make the event accessible and inclusive.

Other than a celebration, the said event will carry with it the advocacies that affect the community in the present. It aims to encourage more youth in Pampanga to form more safe spaces together and stand up for themselves and the future generation, just like what happened 56 years ago in New York. Hernandez continued, “More than ever, we must remain brave and strong as a community. We celebrate during Pride, but we must remember that there is still a fight out there.” implying the continuous discrimination and inequality queer people face, despite the significant progress. “We still have a long way to go as a community.”

by Angela Manalastas