Our Story

2026 - Our inaugural year was better than we could have ever imagined. The generosity shown from our community was so beautiful and the day was filled with an abundance of smiles and laughter. We learned some valuable things and cannot wait to bring you a 2nd annual Pride that is even better than our first!

2025 - For several years Silverton has had a small, well attended Rainbow Family Lunch (formerly known as ā€œQueer Family Picnicā€) at our beautiful Coolidge-McClaine Park. Every year, there were inquiries in local social media groups about an official Pride celebration, the answer was always ā€œnoā€. Because Silverton holds the honor of being known as the first city in the United States to elect a transgender mayor, it didn’t make sense to not have an official Pride celebration! In late 2024, we decided to change that answer to ā€œYESā€. The decision was made to use the aforementioned Rainbow Family Lunch as a jumping off point and grow together from there. For this inaugural Pride celebration we have chosen to honor what was already started and make it bigger. So plan to bring a blanket, a basket lunch for your family and something to share if you desire. Let’s show up for each other with love in 2025!

Meet the Team

President, Karyssa Dow wearing a black shirt with the text "Change is a mother!" in yellow.
Vice-president, Ronnie Needles in a beige suit with a floral tie, wearing glasses, surrounded by greenery.

Karyssa Dow,

President & Founder

Ronnie Needles

Vice-President & Founder

Secretary/Treasurer, MJ Kennedy wearing glasses with short hair, colorful beaded earrings, and a black sleeveless top, standing in front of green foliage.
Graphic Designer, Sean Needles in glasses and a suit holding a pink rose in his mouth.
Brianna Wolterman-Baker, Founder/organizer of Queer Family Picnic.

Molly ā€œMJā€ Kennedy

Secretary/Treasurer & Founder

Sean Needles

Graphic Design Extraordinaire

Brianna Wolterman-Baker,

Queer Family Lunch Founder