Commonwealth of Massachusetts
A Proclamation
His Excellency Governor Deval L. Patrick
Whereas Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth are at a high risk for suicide, substance abuse, running away from home, and becoming victims of violence; and
Whereas In December 1993, landmark legislation was signed prohibiting discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth in Massachusetts public schools; and
Whereas The Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth supports Massachusetts GLBT youth and is mandated to create school and community based programs focused on suicide prevention, violence intervention and prevention of zero-tolerance policies against harassment of GLBT youth; and
Whereas Today’s Youth Pride Day celebrates the lives and diversity of GLBT youth and their friends,
Now, Therefore, I, Deval L. Patrick, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim May 19th, 2012, to be
Massachusetts Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender
Youth Pride Day
And urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance.
Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this sixteenth day of May, in the year two thousand and twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
By His Excellency
Deval L. Patrick
Governor of the Commonwealth
WILLIAM FRANCIS GALVIN
Secretary of the Commonwealth
God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts