Pride Calendar: A Week of Meaningful Actions

Pride is a special opportunity to recognize progress made toward LGBTQIA+ equal rights – and to pay tribute to those who fought for them. This year especially, we are reflecting on the leadership of POC in the movement. Even in the face of heartening wins for justice, like marriage equality in 2015 or SCOTUS’ recognition of workplace protections in 2020, we recognize that the fight is far from over. Help us build on the momentum and create a brighter, more equitable future through action.

We invite LEE members to join us for a week of meaningful Pride Actions in June (and beyond!). There are all kinds of ways to join in the celebration and show your support. Educate yourself with a step back in history, consume LGBTQIA+ media, or shop at LGBTQIA+ -owned stores; more is more!

To get you started, here are 7 days of Pride Actions you can take to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. May these acts empower you to continue showing Pride all year long through equity-minded leadership.

Monday - Say Their Names

Save the date for November 20, 2020 for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Honor the trans people lost to violence and learn about violence against the trans community.

• GLAAD’s Transgender Day of Remembrance | In memoriam, say the names of transgender people whose lives have been taken.
• Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) Resources | Honor people lost to trans-gender violence by exploring these statistics and TDOR tips. 
• Transgender Europe's Trans Murder Monitoring Project | Show trans respect through understanding, with a look at reports and interactive data surrounding trans murder.

Tuesday - Learn Pride History

Take a step back in time to learn more about the history of the Stonewall Riots, an integral turning point in the gay civil rights movement.

• History.com: 1969 Stonewall Riots | Take a glimpse at the origin, timeline, and leaders of the Stonewall Riots.
• PBS: Stonewall Uprising | Watch how the riots unfolded and how they shaped the LGBTQIA+ movement.

Wednesday - Study the Pride Flag & its evolution

Explore the history of the Pride Flag and its colorful evolution.

• Learn about the origins of the rainbow flag, the original design by Gilbert Baker, and its redesign on CNN.
• The More Color, More Pride campaign was launched as an attempt to make people of color feel more included in the LGBTQIA+ community. As a result of the campaign, an updated rainbow flag was unveiled in Philadelphia in 2017 with two new stripes added, honoring black and brown members of the gay community. 
• A 2018 version designed by Daniel Quasar also includes Transgender Pride Flag colors, pink, light blue, and white.

Thursday - Learn about POC LGBTQIA+ Leaders

Lift up the history of POC LGBTQIA+ leaders through research and share what you learn on social media. Start with some icons in the movement.

• Marsha P. Johnson | Get inspired by this prominent figure in the Stonewall Uprising, who became an “activist, self-identified drag queen, and performer.”
• Sylvia Rivera | Meet another pioneering LGBTIA+ civil rights pioneer, known for being a tireless advocate for those who have been marginalized.
• MAJOR! / Miss Major | Widely celebrated and awarded, this film “explores the life of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a formerly incarcerated Black transgender elder and activist who has been fighting for the rights of trans women of color for over 40 years.”

Friday - Support LGBTQIA+ Leadership

If you’re in a place to give, make a donation to LGBTQIA+ LEE members seeking office. Representation counts! Please share far and wide your network. 

• Support LGBTQIA+ Leadership | Your support helps LEE’s LGBTQIA+ members who are running for elected office break down barriers!

Saturday - Support While You Shop

Support a LGBTQIA+-owned business by browsing, buying, or sharing these local and online shops.

• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) | Find LGBTQIA+-owned local businesses in your community through this portal. 
• Mashable | Check out Mashable’s shop-worthy round-up of “11 LGBTQ-owned businesses that are changing the world.”

Sunday - Consume LGBTQIA+ Art & Media

Consume LGBTQIA+ art, movies, theatre and literature. Recommended by LEE Staff.

• NBC: 16 Great LGBTQ Movies to Consume During Self-Isolation 
• Netflix: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson 
• The Art of Education University: 5 LGBTQ Artists You Should Know 
• Rolling Stone Magazine: Music’s Unsung LGBTQ Heroes
• Playbill: 15 Regional Companies Leading the Charge in Gay Theatre
• The New York Times: 25 recent works that have shaped the LGBTQ literary genre, presented over a 20-year timeline.
• FX: Pose, the drama spotlighting the legends, icons, and ferocious house mothers of New York’s underground ball culture in the 1980s.

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