Winter Park Celebrates Pride, Juneteenth and its 'Flip of the Switch'
Despite local and national agitation against LGBTQ rights, Winter Park moved forward with a proclamation for Pride Month and looked back on its long battle for its own city electric utility
June 12, 2025
By Beth Kassab
Winter Park had a lot to celebrate Wednesday: Pride Month, upcoming Juneteenth events and the 20-year anniversary of the flip of the switch from the former Progress Energy to its own electric utility.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio read a proclamation to honor Pride Month that noted the ninth anniversary today of the shooting at Pulse in Orlando, where 49 people died during a night of Latin dancing at the LGBTQ club, and the 59th anniversary on June 28 of the protests after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City.
She said the city is dedicated to fostering compassion, inclusion and safety.
“Let’s continue to build a welcoming Winter Park,” she said, as part of Winter Park’s first official proclamation for Pride Month, which comes two years after a battle over the rainbow peacock Pride flags they city flew during the month of June.
Thor Falk, founder of the Winter Park Pride Project, thanked the mayor for what he called a “bold” decision to recognize the LGBTQ community at a time when diversity and inclusion is being politicized across the nation. The Florida board that oversees the university system, for example, last week rejected the University of Florida’s pick as its new president because he previously showed too much willingness to embrace diversity and inclusion as president of the University of Michigan.
“Having this proclamation today validates what I have believed all along,” said Falk, who runs a campaign each June to provide Pride flags to businesses and residents. “Thank you so much for making this bold decision. It means a lot and it means a little … it’s sometimes these gestures that can make a difference in someone’s day and in how they feel about themselves when they know they are welcome in a community.”
The city of St. Cloud decided last month to pause all proclamations — meaning its own planned recognition of Pride Month would no longer happen — after one council member said some proposed proclamations could be “controversial” and needed more time for review, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Three residents spoke against the proclamation in Winter Park on Wednesday, including one man who said “pride” is associated with a man’s “downfall or ruin.”
Gigi Papa, a resident who frequently speaks at public meetings, said she is against the Pride Month proclamation and referenced Winter Park’s decision in 2023 to stop flying Pride flags on city light poles during the month of June.
The decision was made after a resident requested during an earlier Pride Month to hang banners that read “Choose Life” and “Celebrate Family” with the image of a pregnant mom, a dad and two children holding hands.
Some members of the City Commission considered that message overtly political. The language proposed by the resident aligned with the language often used by the Christian anti-abortion movement.
The U.S. Supreme Court had just ruled the year before that the city of Boston was wrong to deny a group’s request to fly a “Christian flag” outside of City Hall because the flagpole had been used by other groups as a forum for private speech, which would include religious speech. The court explicitly noted that Boston could change its rules so that the flags are only a vehicle for city-endorsed speech.
As a result, Winter Park changed its rules for the light pole banners to only allow for banners to promote city-sponsored events or certain nonprofits who meet criteria for a longstanding presence in the city.
That meant the end of Pride banners as well as the rejection of the “choose life” banner.
Papa, who also stood up during the approval of a contract agreement for the Rollins softball field to ask if the college allows “trans sports,” said residents “should have some say” in proclamations.
But proclamations are already driven by resident requests and the city has clear guidelines, which say the topics can’t be political or ideological but can support arts and culture, recognize a national occasion and create public awareness among other criteria.
Winter Park has issued recent proclamations for Irish-American Heritage Month, Kwanzaa, Women in Construction, Arbor Day, Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month and Purple Week, which recognizes and promotes acceptance of people with disabilities.
Two residents stood up to speak in favor of the Pride Month proclamation as well as the proclamation to recognize Juneteenth, considered the day of emancipation for enslaved Black Americans. The city posted a schedule of Juneteenth events here.
“I am very pleased as a person who was born here in Winter Park that we celebrate Juneteenth and Pride Month … keep up the good work,” said Lee Rambeau Kemp.
Falk, with the local Pride Project, said this weekend’s Peacocks & Divas Drag Brunch at Mead Gardens is sold out. The event will raise money for students in Winter Park seeking technical careers.
DeCiccio said after the meeting that she wasn’t surprised by the negative comments and the numerous negative emails she has received about the proclamation.
“Winter Park is strongest when everyone feels safe and valued,” she said after the meeting. “Exclusion runs counter to our nation’s values — and Winter Park prides itself on being an inclusive community.”
Power Switch
City leaders also celebrated the 20-year mark since they took over their own utility from then-Progress Energy — and what is now Duke Energy — by showing a 13-minute documentary that detailed how the hard-fought decision came about.
The battle between Winter Park and Progress turned bitter and divisive.
The city said it could offer more reliable electric service to its residents and pledged to underground wires and keep rates low. Those against the change warned that Winter Park wouldn’t be able to deliver on such promises and would falter after storms.
Residents overwhelmingly approved the purchase in a landslide vote and the documentary points out all the ways Progress’ ominous warnings of Winter Park’s failure never came to be.
Winter Park is considered one of the most reliable utilities in the state by industry associations and boasts the fourth lowest rates in Florida.
The short film even points out how, with a little time and reflection, some who were so against the public conversion of the electric grid softened their views and changed their minds — a 180-degree flip that seemed inconceivable two decades ago given the acidic dialogue in the community at the time.
Resident Ray Renfo, who was interviewed for the documentary and recently saw his own wires undergrounded, said he’s changed his mind “100 percent.”
He said he’s confident entering this year’s storm season that he won’t be stranded in the dark and feeling “better than we have in years.”
WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
That is just one more reason to move.
Two reasons to be proud: A city that recognizes and appreciates ALL its citizens and a city that sets a goal to improve the lives of citizens by providing more reliable electric service and then achieves it! Well done!
👍🏾
Definitely a woke direction for the commissioners. Now we have to pick and choose flags and causes instead of just staying neutral as a government.
Neutrality is not an option and woke is better than asleep.
The only Pride I see here is the Commissioners’ Pride is being woke.
What’s the issue? As Americans, every individual—LGBTQ, AC/DC or whatever, has the same free and equal rights.
The Woke Commission needs to refresh themselves with the Bill of Rights and wake up.
Reinforces my “pride” in the leadership, courage, and wisdom of our mayor and commissioners.
Thank you,
Ditto
I agree!
Yet again, the City of Winter Park violates its own policy to promote personal agendas and politics. The Proclamation Policy prohibits subjects that:
–relate to political or campaign matters
–address personal convictions
–promote commercial purposes
–promote ideological or religious beliefs
–promote events/organizations with no direct relationship
to the city
–fall on a federal holiday
The controversial proclamation violates not one but four of those prohibitions. It was requested by a non-resident from Windermere on behalf of the “Winter Park Pride Project,” which is not located in Winter Park. Rather, it uses a UPS drop location in Winter Park. Also, this organization is not registered as a charitable organization under Section 496.405, Florida Statutes. Shameful.
Wake up.
The City of WP and the WP Commission initiated the Pride Month proclamation on their own. The founder and president of the WP Pride Project was not the “sponsor.” The mayor invited him to stand with her as the proclamation was read. This was to celebrate Pride Month in general, not their particular organization.
However, please note that the Winter Park Pride is a registered 501c3 — and has the full benefits of a non-profit organization.
I’m very proud of our City for these proclamations which underscore the inclusive nature of our wonderful community.
Ms. Jackson,
I respect your personal opinions objecting to the “Pride Month” proclamation. However, your facts are wrong.
The Winter Park Pride Project did not propose the proclamation, instead it was proposed this year by Winter Park residents. The Pride Project you reference is a state-designated non-profit and a federally-designated 501(c)3. As stated in the Proclamation, it stands against hate.
Please note that I have completed a law and society course at Valencia State so I would like to point out some legal issues for Ms. Jackson to help her assess policy has been violated:
1. Not a political campaign as a political campaign involves running for office.
2. Does not address personal convictions because we don’t know a person’s personal convictions unless we ask them.
3. It does not promote commercial purposes as there is no product for sale.
4. It does not promote ideological or religions beliefs because being tolerant is not an ideology or a religious belief.
5. The event is related to Winter Park.
I hope I have clarified the legal issues involved for you and provided a brief legal thesis here.
Thank you, Winter Park, for recognizing Pride Month. There is absolutely nothing wrong with embracing others, no matter their sexual orientation or skin color or religion or no religion, and welcoming them in our community. There is too much hate hidden behind “religious values” and I applaud your decision. We need more love and less hate in this world. I’m proud Winter Park is leading the way and showing us acceptance and inclusion is the only way forward.
A beautiful statement recognizing love of All mankind.
Thank you.Cheryl❤️
Ditto.
I know this will never happen at this bastion of transparency, but who are the people in the picture flanking the mayor?
I applaud the commissions actions to honor and include all members of our WinterPark community.
Should sexual preferences, practices and behaviors ever be a source of pride- as though they are a form of accomplishment? I would prefer that the commission had adhered to its earlier stance not to make divisive public political proclamations on behalf of our city that gratify some while offending others. I would have preferred to see a proclamation about Flag Day.