08/19/2026
We also support equality for all. Though we will not be participating at this year's event, we wish all a fantastic day, and wonderful cherished moments. We love when folks are themselves. Don't change for others. Be You. Be proud!! And respect!! We here do not judge, yet ye not judge us either. Have A Great Time Everyone!!
Official Statement of Support for Equality & Johnstown Pride — From the Owner of StatTech LLC
As the owner of StatTech at the Galleria — and as DJ Statik — I want to make my position absolutely clear. I fully support Johnstown Pride, I support equality, and I support every person in this community who simply wants to live their life with dignity and respect. I will be at Pride, DJing the event, celebrating the vendors, the families, the performers, and the people who make this city what it is. I’m proud to do it.
I’m also proud to have the rainbow Pitt logo displayed in my storefront window. It’s not just décor — it’s a message. It says that everyone is welcome in my store, no exceptions, no conditions. Inclusion isn’t a trend. It’s a standard. And it’s one I stand behind publicly and unapologetically.
What we’re seeing in the comments on the Pride vendor announcement is the same pattern Johnstown falls into every time something new challenges the old norm. It happened with the mall. It happens with new ideas. And now it’s happening again with Pride. A small group of people show up, not to help, not to build, not to support — but to tear down anything that looks different from what they’re used to.
Some of the comments being posted are cruel, outdated, and disconnected from reality. Calling Pride a “gathering of the mentally ill,” claiming the city is “going downhill,” or acting like diversity is a threat — that’s not insight. That’s fear. And it’s fear that doesn’t reflect the Johnstown I know, the Johnstown I work in, or the Johnstown I’m committed to helping grow.
It’s 2026. LGBTQ people are part of every community — your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends, your family. And even if someone doesn’t personally understand it, the real question is simple: How does who someone loves affect you? It doesn’t. Pride doesn’t increase crime. Pride doesn’t harm families. Pride doesn’t destroy communities. What does hurt communities is hostility, division, and the constant attempt to shut down anything that looks different from the past.
And to those quoting scripture in the comments: faith is supposed to be a source of compassion, not a weapon. You can’t selectively interpret a text written thousands of years ago only when it benefits your argument. You can’t preach love while using your faith to shame your neighbors. The message “God loves all His children” doesn’t come with exceptions.
Johnstown deserves better than negativity every time progress appears. We deserve events that bring people together. We deserve businesses that welcome everyone. We deserve a community that grows instead of shrinking behind fear.
StatTech supports Johnstown Pride because community matters, inclusion matters, and people matter. This city moves forward when we choose to support each other instead of tearing each other down.
I’m proud to stand with Pride. I’m proud to stand with Johnstown. And I’m proud to stand with every person who wants this city to grow, thrive, and move forward.
— Anthony, Owner of StatTech LLC / DJ Statik
