Twenty years ago, the village of New Paltz in the Hudson Valley became a trailblazer for civil rights when then-Mayor Jason West married same-sex couples seven years before the state legalized it.

The community is now honoring West’s courage to do what was not legal, but in his mind, was right, two decades later.

West broke the law in front of thousands of onlookers in 2004, when he married 25 same sex couples.

“It was the right thing to do," West said. "I had the power to make that change, and to not use that power to advance the cause of civil rights really would have been a dereliction of duty.”

Two decades later, the anniversary of the start of a path that led to marriage equality is being honored with a celebratory pride brunch.

Eve Papp, one of the brunch’s organizers, says she was in the closet back then. But now, being able to be an out transgender woman, she wants to ensure the historic moment is celebrated.

“You felt it. You always learn about these sparks in history that start a movement, and it was kind of like you just realized you watched a spark," Papp said. "You knew it was going to continue.”

West says there was fallout from the marriages. The village had to deal with millions of dollars in lawsuit while West and others dealt with threats of violence. But he said that it was seeing how the village changed, for the better, that made it worth it.

“I heard from the community that after the marriages they saw a lot more same sex couples just holding hands, walking down Main Street," he said. "It opened up a space for people to be free and safe in a way they hadn't felt before.”

The brunch will also serve as fundraiser for the recently created New Paltz Pride Coalition. Papp says the village needs a center for the LGBTQ+ community to continue West’s work for the next generation.

“A place for somebody who is coming to terms with being gay or lesbian or trans to go and ask questions to find support," she said. "We don't have a place for families.”

After two decades, the weddings serve as a reminder that the fight for civil rights is still ongoing.

“The work of change is not something where you show up one day and then do something and then go home," West said. "It's a everyday practice and I think that we need more of that in this country.”

Tickets for the pride brunch are sold out. But Papp says that folks who are interested in helping bring an LGBTQ+ center to the village could find more information about how to donate at newpaltzpridecoalition.org.