Every year, Newton celebrates Pride month with a flag raising and a special guest to honor those who blazed a path towards a more free and open society. This year, for the 5th annual Newton Pride flag raising, Mayor Fuller and the Newton Human Rights Commission invite the community to join us in honoring the Reverend Brandon Thomas Crowley.

| Newton MA News and Politics Blog

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Reverend’s work, here are some excerpts:

From a Boston.com article: “Crowley doesn’t shy away from controversial topics. One recent Sunday, a deacon handed out red ribbons to parishioners as they entered, commemorating World AIDS Day…. In his sermon, Crowley said his family has lost several members to AIDS and denounced homophobia, arguing that those who have used the Bible to discriminate against gays are reading the text out of context.”

From his Facebook page: “After becoming the only open and affirming black Baptist congregation in the Boston area, I launched a free counseling center, which serves as a safe space for LGBT persons and children who make up forty percent of homeless youth.”