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In a year marked by renewed national debates over LGBTQIA+ rights, identity, healthcare, and education, Sonoma County Pride is choosing clarity over reaction. Our community is not hypothetical. Our families are not political theory. Our history is not negotiable.

Pride began as protest, but it has always been rooted in truth — the truth of lived experience, visibility, community, and resistance. Pride & True is not a defensive posture. It is a declaration that our lives, our stories, and our presence in Sonoma County will not be erased or rewritten.

The 2026 theme carries three calls to action:

• Advance. Progress is not permanent. Rights secured in one generation can be challenged in the next. Advancement requires civic engagement, visibility, and leadership.
• Advocate. Advocacy is responsibility. Sonoma County Pride remains committed to amplifying the voices of youth, elders, trans individuals, queer families, and those who cannot safely advocate for themselves.
• Act Up. This phrase honors the legacy of ACT UP and the activists of the AIDS crisis who demanded dignity when silence was costing lives. Acting up today means refusing erasure, organizing when necessary, and embracing joy as resistance.

“As a community, we are not debating our existence — we are recording it,” said Christopher Kren-Mora, President of Sonoma County Pride. “When we gather in June, we are not simply celebrating. We are putting ourselves on record.”

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MARCH 12TH – 6:00 SHOW UP FOR THE STUDENTS OF SVHS GSA!

Taken from story in Sonoma Valley SUN
by Madeline Edwards President of SVHS GSA.

The Pride flag was taken down at Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS) after board member David Bell decided the flag was harmful to student clubs and sports that do not fly flags on campus.

SVHS students responded immediately.

“I was very angry and upset… it means so much to us,” said Kimberlee Torres, a junior and co-president of the Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Club.

Solis Schnabel learned about the decision on Instagram after school. “Everybody was posting about it, and I was very shocked, but it was good to see how much of a community response there was.”

Students organized quickly, using social media and holding a GSA meeting to plan next steps. On January 26, Torres and other GSA students spoke during public comment at the Sonoma City Council, emphasizing that schools must be safe spaces and that protections for vulnerable students should not be removed by one board member’s opinion.

Judah White, a sophomore and GSA secretary, shared that the Pride flag helped him feel safe coming out as gay. “It fostered a community that really supports everyone,” he said. He added that the flag represents inclusivity and belonging.

Torres said the flag “creates a safe space where I don’t have to be worried.”

Students say they will continue to speak up. The next step is the SVUSD board meeting on March12, where a decision about the future of the Pride flag is expected to be discussed.
Meeting is held at Sonoma City Chambers – 177 First Street West, Sonoma

Show up, wear your DRAGON T-Shirts, bring your signs, BE VISIBLE for the kids!!! IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

A community-driven Mardi Gras benefit party will take place Friday, Feb. 20, bringing music, celebration and fundraising together in support of LGBTQ+ visibility and community resilience.

The event, Mardi Gras 2026, will be held at Sally Tomatoes and is timed to follow Mardi Gras proper on Feb. 17, extending the season of celebration while centering local impact. The fundraiser is produced by community organizer Athena Rowan with support from regional partners and sponsors.

Proceeds from the event will support LGBTQ+ programming, visibility efforts and mutual-aid initiatives in Sonoma County, with an emphasis on safety and inclusion for transgender and gender-diverse community members.

“This is about celebration with purpose,” Rowan said. “Mardi Gras has always been rooted in community, resistance and joy. We’re honoring that history while making sure the benefits stay local.”

The evening will feature live music from Rotten Tomatoes, drag and burlesque, festive Mardi Gras visuals and a community-forward atmosphere designed to be welcoming and accessible. Admissions start at $25. 18+ 

Sponsors for Mardi Gras 2026 include Sally Tomatoes, SoCo Pride, and Fast Signs, whose support helps keep the event accessible while funding year-round community work.

Event details, ticket information and accessibility notes will be announced through official event and social media channels.

Event Information

What: Mardi Gras 2026 – Community Benefit Party

When: Friday, Feb. 20

Where: Sally Tomatoes, 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park

Admission: $25 show and dance; $55 show, dance, and dinner; $400 reserved table of 8; sponsor/VIP packages available

On February 12, SVHS students and supporters will show up at the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board meeting to talk about the way in which the pride flag was removed from campus grounds without any public notice or legally required governance. Our community and students deserve accountability for the resulting consequences of this action and exposure of the possible underlying motivation for this action.

Wake UP Sonoma calls for School Board President David Bell, to be censured for his abuse of power, and that he be removed as President of the School Board. 

Wake UP Sonoma also calls for the School Board to place the public comment bylaw on the agenda to reverse the recently changed public comment policy back to being allowed up front for items NOT on the agenda. We feel this new process is in place to silence dissent and to minimize public input. 
California Code, EDC 35145.5.

Wake UP Sonoma calls for greater transparency within the school board process, and that the BP 5157 Policy which addresses Anti- Discrimination and Harassment be reviewed for compliance with ongoing training mandates for staff put in place in 2024. Records show this was only done one time, but was meant to be annual and ongoing training. Policy link below.
View Regulation 5157: ^Gender Identity and Access
(See section on Curriculum and Training and Harassment and Bullying)

Public presence matters. Strong turnout can help ensure the Pride flag remains a visible symbol of safety, belonging, and inclusion on campus. We want to make sure the students have the chance to speak their mind. Just your presence will be important. Although public comment is scheduled to be near the end of the meeting, the proposal to eliminate the position for student services Director of Equity and Inclusion is the agenda item we can speak to at the beginning. Attachment.aspx.pdf
WHO will continue to provide oversight of inclusive practice to implement required Title 9 laws. WHY would they even consider this action? Removing the flag is an example of why we need this oversight. 

If public comment does get pushed to the end by a School Board trying to dodge accountability, we hope you can try to stick around, and talk about your own feelings related to the flag issue. Why inclusion and symbols of inclusion are important, and what is YOUR experience as a parent with homophobia, bullying, and harassment in the school system that has impacted your child. You can speak to why you feel that David Bell’s actions are not appropriate and should have consequences. 
WE cannot allow this to continue. We are better than this!

This is the meeting where community voices can ask that the Board eliminate any further debate about the flying of the pride flag on campus. THIS SHOULD NOT BE UP FOR DISCUSSION. The flag should continue to fly. The students have a voice, and they need you to stand behind them.

 Sonoma City Chambers
177 First Street West, Sonoma
 February 12
 Open session begins around 6:00 PM
Be visible – wear your dragon pride shirt or bring a rainbow flag and/or signs of protest

Virtual access available:
https://sonomaschools-org.zoom.us/j/97674745649
Zoom Webinar ID: 976 7474 5649
Phone: +1 669 900 9128

Show up for SVHS students. Show up for inclusive schools. Show up for community.