Los Gatos raises first-ever Pride flag after student-led push

LOS GATOS, Calif. - For the first time ever, Los Gatos raised a Progress Pride Flag on the lawn of the Civic Center, just in time for the start of Pride Month.

While organizers and attendees noted that the formal flag-raising ceremony was officially a year in the making, they emphasized that the work toward community inclusion has unofficially been happening for decades. For those gathered at the Civic Center, the flying rainbow colors serve as a vital symbol of the inclusive community they want to build.

"The city of San Jose was able to raise the pride flag 25 years ago, so we’re catching up," said Los Gatos Mayor Rob Moore, who held the historic ceremony.

Students lead charge for Pride flag

The backstory:

According to Moore, the motion to fly the flag would not have passed without the determined efforts of Nova Jayaraj, who founded the Los Gatos-Saratoga Youth Coalition. The 17-year-old Los Gatos High School student organized a group of local teenagers to attend council meetings and speak out. 

The youth shared deeply personal stories with town leaders, detailing experiences with bullying, suicidal ideations, and feelings of exclusion among LGBTQ+ youth. However, advocating for the flag came with significant challenges in the council chambers.

"There were so many people against the pride flag," Jayaraj said. "People brought bibles to the stand. I got cussed out. It was just not a friendly environment, to say the least."

Mayor Moore initially brought the proposal to the council in June 2025, and it was officially placed on the agenda in December when he took office. Reflecting on the intense public debates, Moore noted that council chamber opposition does not represent the town as a whole.

"It’s easy when you see some opposition in the council chambers to think that there’s this big group of people that is not welcoming," Moore said. "I actually think the vast majority of people in this town are incredibly welcoming."

The road to this milestone has seen previous controversy. Back in 2021, then-Mayor Marico Sayoc faced significant backlash after organizing a rainbow crosswalk downtown. The protesting outside her family's home grew so troubling that state lawmakers eventually passed a Senate bill specifically to protect elected officials. 

Yet, steps away from where the rainbow flag was painted, the Progress Pride Flag now flies.

Among those watching the flag go up were local teenagers on their lunch break from school, current community leaders, and Ken Yeager, who was elected in 1992 as the first openly gay council member.

"You have to keep on fighting all the time," Yeager said as an encouragement to young people who were there.

Youth can make change, even if they can't vote

Big picture view:

For Jayaraj, who attended the ceremony while recovering from knee surgery, the moment proved that young people can effect real civic change.

"There is so much you can do without having a degree or being able to vote," Jayaraj said. "My biggest thing is making sure as many people as possible out there know how they can make sure their voice is heard. And they have a say in what their future looks like. Like, you can make change—you don’t have to wait until somebody else makes the right decisions for you."

With Los Gatos becoming the 12th out of 15 cities in the county to hoist the flag. Monte Sereno, Saratoga, and Los Altos Hills remain the only three cities not to do so.

Jayaraj doesn't plan to stop her advocacy here. She hopes to eventually pursue a career changing policy for the better.