“When an individual is protesting society’s refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.” – Bayard Rustin, Civil Rights Leader

This year’s Pride Month marks the 49th anniversary of Pride, and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The nearly week-long protest took place in June 1969 in response to ongoing police raids at gay bars and clubs, and is now what most people consider to be the catalyst for the gay rights movement. New York held the first Pride in 1970, establishing a yearly celebration by and for LGBTQ individuals.

Each week during Pride Month, the Equality Federation team will share a reflection on what Pride means to them. As an organization, Pride Month is a special time to celebrate our LGBTQ community and the nondiscrimination state-level work we remain steadfastly committed to.

When we asked Ian Palmquist (he/him/his), Senior Director of Programs, to reflect on what Pride means to them he replied:

Pride to me means celebrating the diversity and resilience of our LGBTQ communities. It’s about creating space where we can be ourselves in a world that is too often still hostile to us.

Joellyn Wilken Weingourt (she/her/hers), Donor & Corporate Relations Officer, reflected in a joyful manner, saying:

Pride to me means living fully, openly and authentically every damn day and celebrating the strength and passion of our community and this movement.

While Pride offers many ways to celebrate (parades, events, etc.), Equality Federation recognizes our work remains incomplete until full nondiscrimination protections are gained for each LGBTQ individual.