San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride Month Proclamation

Presented by Mayor Todd Gloria, Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, and Councilmember Marni von Wilpert

WHEREAS, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer San Diegans are commemorating their community’s rich history of courage, spirit, achievement, and activism by organizing San Diego’s 50th Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride celebration with the theme of “Make History Now” from July 13- 21, 2024; and,

WHEREAS, history is filled with hard-fought victories on the shoulders of LGBTQ+ leaders such as Harvey Milk, Chris Kehoe, and Leslie Feinberg, revolutionaries like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, and artists like Stormé DeLarverie, RD Riccoboni, and Frida Kahlo, who have built, fought, and created, reminding us that we are part of a continuous legacy of courage and activism; and,

WHEREAS, Christine Kehoe was the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected to the San Diego City Council in 1993 and blazed the rainbow trail for Toni Atkins, Todd Gloria, Chris Ward, Georgette Gomez, Jennifer Campbell, Stephen Whitburn and Marni von Wilpert; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that this moment calls upon us all to do what we can with what we have to build toward more liberation and justice, for ourselves and future generations, which is why the theme for 2024 is “Make History Now,” emphasizing the importance of building on the legacy of those who came before while making history in our own right; and,

WHEREAS, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first marches in San Diego, we honor our past victories and recommit ourselves to the work ahead, understanding that this work has been entrusted to us by the visionaries who have come before us; and,

WHEREAS, we honor our future by ensuring opportunities for future generations to blaze their own trails and make their own history, continuing the fight for dignity, understanding, and mutual respect for all; and,

WHEREAS, the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has also been rising in the San Diego region, primarily targeting some of our most marginalized community members – our transgender and gender non-conforming siblings and our LGBTQIA+ youth, in opposition to San Diego values that date back to the original indigenous stewards of this land; and, 

WHEREAS, San Diego Pride’s full week of celebrations and events include the region’s largest single-day civic event, the Pride Parade, as well as She Fest, Light Up The Cathedral, the Spirit of Stonewall Rally, and the Pride Festival, creating opportunities to joyfully work toward LGBTQ+ justice alongside community organizations, activists, artists, entertainers, faith leaders, and community members; and,

WHEREAS, while our city, state, and nation have progressed in our journey toward equality, understanding, and mutual respect for all, we still have a long way to go in eradicating the prejudice and discrimination that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and two-spirit people and their families encounter, and to this end, we continue working for both legal and social justice and liberation for the entire LGBTQ+ community; NOW,

THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, by the Mayor and Council of the City of San Diego, for and on behalf of the people of San Diego, does hereby proclaim the month of July 2024, to be “San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride Month” in the City of San Diego.