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Pittsfield Raises Pride Flag, Dedicates Pride Month to Jahaira DeAlto

Mayor Linda Tyer proclaims Pride Month.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pride Month in Pittsfield has been dedicated to former city resident and transgender activist Jahaira DeAlto, who was murdered a month ago in Boston.

"Jahaira was an original founder of pride, she helped start the first Transgender Day of Remembrance here in the Berkshires and she helped set the foundation for the LGBTQ-plus community to organize here for the first time," said Kelan O'Brien, chair of Berkshire Pride, at the Pride flag-raising event at City Hall on Wednesday. "We have always been here. She provided that foundation."

The city of Pittsfield in partnership with Berkshire Pride raised the LGBTQ-plus flag in honor of Pride Month with a large photo of DeAlto, who worked with local victims of abuse, prominently displayed at the podium on the steps of City Hall.

A crowd of local and state officials and residents cheered while the flag was raised to "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross. This has been a yearly tradition since 2017.

Mayor Linda Tyer delivered the proclamation for Pride Month in Pittsfield.

"This image of Jahaira right here is so powerful, I know we are all deeply saddened and grieving for what she has left us. The legacy that she has left us but the image of her in this photograph is powerful. And I feel her presence with us today just by looking at this image here in front of the podium," she said.

"[The city] honors the LGBTQ-plus community's courage, compassion, creativity, recognizing the social, economic, and cultural contributions they make to our community, including advocating for the equal rights of all people speaking out against intolerance and discrimination and helping to break down the walls and fear and prejudice within the city."

Berkshire County resident Najwa Squailia spoke on the hypocrisy of "pride capitalism" and the many elements that encompass pride.

"More anti-trans bills have become law in this country, young trans people are being denied life-saving medical care and yet, in that same moment those same children can walk into Target or into a local craft supply store and find a vast altar of rainbow covered accessories and appeasement perhaps that they accept gratefully what little protections the culture has to offer," she said. "But an invitation to joy and celebration is an empty gesture unless it is paired with the most basic human rights."

State Rep. Tricia Farley Bouvier, representatives from the District Attorney's Office, Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon, and Councilor at Large Pete White were in attendance at the mid-day celebration among other officials.

O’Brien said there will be no Pride Festival in the city in June but the organization will be supporting Berkshire NAACP on Juneteenth holiday -- June 19 -- which is the day the festival would typically be hosted.

Berkshire Pride reportedly will be holding a rally on June 26, the day that Supreme Court in 2015 held that states may not deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The organization is exploring festival options for later in the summer or closer to National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.