Welcome to Neighborhood View’s recurring roundup of good things happening in our city. This installment features Malden’s celebration of Pride Month, an unusual dumpling at GMAACC’s block party and a piece of Malden’s history spotlighted on WCVB-TV, Channel 5
Raising the flag, raising community
Malden officially kicked off Pride Month on June 1 with its annual Pride Flag Raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza, where city officials, community leaders, educators and residents gathered to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and reaffirm the city’s commitment to inclusion.
Mayor Gary Christenson issued a Pride Month proclamation, while members of the School Committee delayed the start of their evening meeting so they could attend the ceremony. Several city councilors attended to show their support, including Ari Taylor, who addressed the crowd, alongside Carey McDonald and Ryan O’Malley, both of whom are openly LGBTQ+ members of the council.
Among the speakers was educator, entrepreneur and Malden Cultural Council member Ed Rocha, who reflected on the meaning of belonging.
“What I’ve learned is that belonging is not about being tolerated, it is not about being allowed into the room,” Rocha said. “Belonging is knowing that your presence makes the room better. It is knowing that you do not have to edit yourself, shrink yourself or explain yourself in order to be worthy of respect and love.”
The flag raising also served as a reminder that Pride Month in Malden extends far beyond a single event. Organized by the Malden Pride Coalition, this year’s calendar includes a month of community gatherings, celebrations and opportunities for reflection. Upcoming events include a Vigil for Trans Lives on June 23 at Coytemore Lea Park, an Adult Pride Party on June 26 at Idle Hands Craft Ales and the family-friendly Pride in the Park celebration on June 28, also at Coytemore Lea Park. See full details on the Malden Pride Coalition website.
For many attendees, the ceremony reflected the growing visibility and support for LGBTQ+ residents in Malden. The strong turnout from city leaders, community organizations and residents underscored a message repeated throughout the evening: Everyone deserves to feel welcomed, valued and at home in their community. — Reporting by Anne D’Urso-Rose
Throw but don’t eat these dumplings!
“Seed Dumplings” were a featured activity at the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition (GMAACC) “Belonging” block party at City Hall plaza on June 14. Annabel Shu, GMAACC’s youth leader, invited the Friends of the Malden River to lead the activity. Shu was inspired by the seed balls — wildflower seeds embedded in a ball of soil and clay — that the Friends provided at other festivals. Seed balls can be planted anywhere that needs a colorful boost.
In this iteration, the seed balls were wrapped in brown paper so they resembled dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. They will be used to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival season.
Annabel Shu shared the ancient story of the rice dumplings. In China, every summer, the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar is a historic patriotic day to honor the beloved ancient poet, statesman and scholar Qu Yuan (circa 343-278 BCE). An evil emperor’s son, Ze Lan (Tse Lan) stripped this scholar of his power and position. Qu Yuan threw himself into the river in protest of this unfair treatment. People throughout China threw rice dumplings into the water so that the fish wouldn’t eat his body and would eat the rice dumplings instead.
“So every year since then, we throw rice dumplings into the river out of respect for his love for the country and his work to protect the common people,” Shu said.
Festival goers loved wrapping the seed dumplings in various familial ways. Elders and young people shared their different techniques to create these honorable dumplings.
The event also featured music by Juksing Music and Boston Pungmul, which reverberated around City Hall Plaza. There were fun activities with GMAACC Youth and Project Eleven Studio. GMAACC served delicious food from local AAPI restaurants and cafes. A Malden Community Connections Grant helped support this festive event. — Reporting by Karen Buck
Above, festival attendees enjoy the seed dumpling table at GMAACC’s “Belonging” block party, 6-14-26. (Photos: Karen Buck)
The ‘hidden history’ of Malden’s library featured on Chronicle
The history of the Malden Public Library has it all — murder, suspense, intrigue and a deeply satisfying ending despite its tragic roots. WCVB’s long-running show “Chronicle” recently featured the back story of Malden’s library in its “Hidden History” series. Library Director Dora St. Martin shares how the beautiful and historic library building was built as a memorial to Frank Converse, son of Malden’s first mayor Elijah Converse and president of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, from which Converse sneakers was an outgrowth. Frank was tragically murdered in 1863 in the country’s first fatal bank robbery. The show, hosted by Anthony Everett, uses video, photographs, paintings and even AI-generated drawings to visually bring the story to life. You can watch the 5-minute segment at the video link below.
Have an idea for a good news story in Malden? Send us a note at info@neighborhoodview.org or through our News Tip link.
Be the first to comment