One of the ways to strengthen a sense of community is to showcase how proud you are of where you call home.
Last week, people gathered in Hillcrest for the unveiling of more than 100 Pride flags throughout the neighborhood. One of the goals of the flag installations was to show that Pride lives in Hillcrest 365 days a year.
Benny Cartwright speaks during last week’s Pride flag installation in Hillcrest. (Photo by Adrian Childress)“Having these new rainbow flags makes Hillcrest even more special,” Benny Cartwright, immediate past president of Kiwanis Hillcrest All-Inclusive Club, told those in attendance. “These flags make people feel at home. I couldn’t be more proud to call Hillcrest home.”
In all, 112 Pride and Progress flags have been installed across 56 street pole locations throughout Hillcrest. Starting next year, an additional 112 flags will be installed, further expanding the program and reinforcing Hillcrest’s commitment to year-round Pride.
Making Hillcrest a home — and a safe place
Cartwright says the response to the flags has been overwhelmingly positive.
“In recent years, as the neighborhood has changed (physically and culturally), many have expressed concern about the neighborhood’s future as an LGBTQ hub,” Cartwright said. “While great efforts have been made, like the institution of the LGBTQ Entertainment District, people worry about LGBTQ people getting priced out of the neighborhood, and the more and more non-LGBTQ people who are visiting the neighborhood regularly, arguably taking up space from LGBTQ people in the various venues.
He added that they have experienced a sense that the safety of Hillcrest is being lost, with reports of anti-queer language being used by patrons in bars and restaurants, for example.
“These flags remind everyone that Hillcrest is welcoming to everyone, but it is THE home and safe place for the LGBTQ community.”
Cartwright added that what he loves about Hillcrest is that so many people call it home, even if they don’t live here.
“I can’t imagine many other neighborhoods that people would actively seek out to be a part of if they didn’t live there,” he said. “That’s why these flags are so important — they remind everyone who visits here that they are safe here, and they are a part of this neighborhood, whether or not they have a residence here.”
Cartwright added that he is grateful for the Hillcrest Business Association and all of the businesses that donated to make the project happen.
There is much to be proud of with the installation of Pride flags in Hillcrest. (Photo by Adrian Childress)“I can’t wait for even more flags to go up next year, along with our soon-to-open Promenade, and additional banners going up featuring local LGBTQ+ icons.
“It will be hard not to know that this is San Diego’s LGBTQ home for all,” Cartwright said.
A visible sense of Pride
Natalie Starr, marketing coordinator of the HBA, noted these flags mean a lot to the community.
“There’s something powerful about turning an entire neighborhood into a visible celebration of Pride not just during one season, but 365 days a year,” Starr said.
“For people who live here, it’s a reminder of the community we’ve built together. And for those visiting, it instantly creates that feeling of ‘I’m somewhere that welcomes me.’”
That kind of visibility can have real effects, said Starr, especially at a time that social cohesion feels fragile and personal identities need to be seen, respected, and protected more than ever.
“It’s an important reminder that Hillcrest is and always will be a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community,” she added. “You walk through Hillcrest and instantly feel that energy of a welcoming and proud community, and it’s something we’re all experiencing together.”
The flag initiative was spearheaded by Ryan Bedrosian, owner of Rich’s Nightclub and board president of the Hillcrest Business Association.
Bedrosian envisioned the idea with HBA, leading the majority of the coordination, financing, and effort, in collaboration with Starr’s team.
This project happened through the collective support of local LGBTQ+ nightlife and business leaders who came together to invest in the neighborhood’s identity and visibility, including Rich’s Nightclub, Gossip Grill, Baja Betty’s, The Brass Rail, Urban Mo’s, InsideOut, Uptown Tavern, Number One Fifth Ave, and Flicks.
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