This year’s Monterey PRIDE Parade will be led by a few familiar faces from our wider community. We’re especially delighted that our own JT Mason has been selected as one of the Grand Marshals, serving alongside Dave Reichard. Read the full post here below or visit the Facebook page here – https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid035pbePcKqAi6thKHh5c9reZy9bK5bHPysMB7PUSczL4SzuLijNCSsAcpruC81ENYzl&id=100064615152771&mibextid=wwXIfr

JT Mason (she/her) is a long time activist working with multiple organizations that embrace
diversity, equity and inclusion. Currently, she is a Board member of Palenke Arts, an active member
of the Solidarity Network, Whites for Racial Equity and the Unitarian Universalist Church.

For 26 years JT hosted several public radio shows for KAZU and KUSP, most notably a program
entitled My Sister’s House. That program highlighted women’s music and culture, often focusing on
LGBTQ issues, providing insight and support for a burgeoning women’s community. She co-founded
Demeter Productions which produced a monthly news paper, numerous concerts and sporting
events.

In 1999, she and her partner became the first openly gay couple to adopt a child in Monterey
County. “I think the strongest impact I’ve had has come from simply being open and fully myself on
the radio, sharing my life in a way that actively countered the false narratives about gay people.”

JT has been an early and consistent supporter of Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Pride. She is
overjoyed to be this year’s co-Grand Marshall.

Dave Reichard (he/him) is a Director Emeritus of Monterey Peninsula Pride. During his 25-year
career as a Professor at CSUMB, he taught LGBTQ+ history, advised LGBTQ+ student organizations,
co-chaired the LGBTQ+ staff and faculty affinity group, and was faculty lead in organizing the
Rainbow Raft Pride Center.

He is the author of Here Are My People: LGBT Student Organizing in California. Deeply committed
to making queer and trans histories widely visible, he served on the board of the GLBT Historical
Society and co-curated sections of two exhibits at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco.
Locally, he organized an LGBTQ history of Monterey County history project, now housed at CSUMB,
a project showcased at the 2018 Monterey Peninsula Pride Celebration as a pop-up exhibit.

He is honored to serve as one of Monterey Peninsula Pride’s Grand Marshall for the 2026 Parade
and Celebration.