As cities across New Mexico roll out rainbow flags and pride parades for LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Sandoval County stays silent with no official events, proclamations or celebrations planned — unlike nearby Albuquerque, which is set for a full slate of festivities.
Despite being New Mexico’s third-largest county and home to more than 150,000 people, Sandoval County lacks any official Pride events or proclamations, leaving some LGBTQ residents feeling invisible in their communities. In Rio Rancho, the county’s largest city, no Pride events have ever been held, and none are planned this year.
“The absence of a pride event is not necessarily a reflection of desire, but really just circumstance,” said Ericka Van Eckhoutte, who co-founded the Rio Rancho Pride Facebook group. “Rio Rancho is still predominantly based on conservative values. I’ve seen a lot of fear and backlash to silence some of the celebrations more directly.”
No city in Sandoval County, including Corrales, has a Pride event on the calendar. Corrales hosts several parades each year, but not one for Pride. For that, residents have to cross the river to Albuquerque or head north to Santa Fe.
Van Eckhoutte said it’s disheartening to see people feel the need to leave the county to celebrate, especially as someone who’s part of the LGBTQ community and wants to raise her family in a supportive environment. She said for some, barriers like transportation and disabilities make it even harder and no one should have to travel just to be who they are.
No Pride events or proclamations have ever been planned or issued anywhere in Sandoval County or its towns. While the Sandoval County Board of Commissioners has adopted proclamations for Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Native American Heritage Month, none have specifically honored LGBTQ communities.
Rio Rancho has not issued official proclamations for Black History Month, Women’s History Month or Native American Heritage Month.
The Town of Bernalillo passed a 2017 resolution affirming its commitment to diversity and immigrant-friendly status, explicitly including LGBTQ people. However, that resolution did not designate June as Pride Month or establish an annual LGBTQ+ proclamation.
Corrales rejected a similar immigrant-friendly resolution that same year.
Bernalillo, Corrales and Cuba have not issued proclamations recognizing Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Native American Heritage Month. Corrales has, however, acknowledged Women’s History Month in past communications.
According to Rio Rancho spokesperson Jaley Turpen, no LGBTQ events, proclamations or plans are in place, and no outside groups have reached out to the city.
Van Eckhoutte has been in contact with Rio Rancho City Councilor Deb Dapson and others who’ve shown some interest in allyship, but said there’s still a lack of visible representation.
“A lot of people were interested in attending, but there’s still hesitation to actually participate,” Van Eckhoutte said. “Even with some supportive leaders, fear and past experiences still keep many people from showing up.”
Van Eckhoutte said she tried reaching out to local officials during election season, but LGBTQ issues didn’t come up.
“There was a lot of talk about jobs, the economy, workforce development — all important — but not much about minorities,” she said.
According to Dapson, she would support a Pride proclamation but said it’s up to the mayor to issue one. “If you haven’t already, I would ask him about it and press him for his reasoning,” she said in an email to the Signpost.
As of publication, Mayor Gregg Hull has not responded to a request for comment.
“I would like to see something happen for Pride month, perhaps an event like our Juneteenth,” Dapson said.
Van Eckhoutte said she and her wife started the Rio Rancho Pride group in 2022 because there wasn’t any visible support or events in the area.
“Within just the first couple of months, it was just filled with so much hate,” she said. “People intentionally joined the group to be hateful, so we had to revamp that a little bit and make it a private group.”
Van Eckhoutte said there have still been small wins.
In 2023, when the conservative group New Mexico MassResistance — an anti-LGBTQ group pushing family values — showed up at the Loma Colorado Main Library in Rio Rancho to protest what they called LGBTQ content and pornography in books, her Facebook group rallied people to push back and support keeping the books on the shelves.
“A few folks came up to me, my wife, and our son to thank us. That kind of support — just one or two people — makes a big difference and keeps us going.”
According to Van Eckhoutte, the lack of local Pride events also means missed opportunities for Rio Rancho businesses. She said people end up spending time and money in other cities instead of celebrating in their community, which hurts both local pride and the local economy.
Pride Events
- 14th Annual Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Pride, June 1, 14th Annual, at Hartnett Park, 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW.
- PRIDE on the Plaza, presented by the Human Rights Alliance of Santa Fe, June 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at The Santa Fe Plaza.
- Madrid Pride Parade and Paramount Reunion Party, June 8, 2 p.m.–8 p.m., at The Mine Shaft Tavern.
- Albuquerque PrideFest 2025, June 7, at Civic Plaza, downtown Albuquerque.
- Albuquerque Pride Parade, June 7, along Central Avenue in the Nob Hill neighborhood.