CRYSTAL | ROBBINSDALE NEW HOPE | GOLDEN VALLEY
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2025-26
Pride is strong in the quad cities
Golden Valley has earned the nickname“ Lavender Valley” for the high concentration of LGBTQ + households and its welcoming space to work, play and live.
Every year since 2016, the Golden Valley Community Foundation puts on a Pride celebration. With a rainbow balloon archway, music, food and community popups, this event is a great place to celebrate diversity, meet people and their dogs as well as learn about community programs.
In addition to Golden Valley’ s Pride celebration, there are other events. For example, Robbinsdale’ s Human Rights Commission joined with Golden Valley, Minnetonka and New Hope commissions to put on“ Obergefell & YOU,” an educational event where speakers learned about landmark
same-sex marriage decisions. The event notably featured Karen Thompson, a lesbian activist. Thompson was living with her partner Sharon Kowalski in the 1980s, when Kowalski suffered a car accident which resulted in life-altering disabilities. Kowalski’ s parents did not permit Thompson to take care of her beloved partner.
Instead, Kowalski was neglected in a facility that could not take care of her for years. Thompson fought legal battles for years until she finally obtained legal guardianship. In 2025, Thompson brought this story to Robbinsdale City Hall for the public to learn about both disability and queer history. Other speakers shared resources and taught the relatively recent history of same-sex marriage.
Community Guide 2025-26 | Crystal • Robbinsdale • New Hope • Golden Valley | 25