San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed joined LGBTQ elected and community leaders including State Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisors Rafael Mandelman, Matt Dorsey and Joel Engardio, SF Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford, Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger, and newly appointed Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI) Honey Mahogany to kick off San Francisco’s 53rd annual Pride Month celebration.
The annual flag raising at City Hall marks the beginning of Pride Month, during which people from all over the world come to San Francisco to participate in many events dedicated to celebrating the City’s diversity and commitment to the LGBTQ community throughout the month of June. The festivities will culminate in the Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30. This year’s theme for SF Pride is “Beacon of Love.”
This year’s Pride will bring a renewed level of excitement for San Francisco, as the community will officially welcome Honey Mahogany as the newly appointed Director of OTI. Mayor Breed announced her selection last month.
“San Francisco has and will always be a beacon of love and hope for the LGBTQ community,” said Mayor London Breed. “It is my honor to continue this tradition by investing in critical services and programs that lift up this community, and to honor its history. Even during a difficult budget year, San Francisco will ensure our budget represents our values including investing in LGBTQ community health care and our organizations that serve LGBTQ youth.”
“Each June we celebrate a core part of what it means to be San Franciscans: The freedom to live proudly and authentically as who we are,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “With the LGBTQ community under attack by extremist in so many parts of our country and world, Pride month is a critical time to celebrate our City’s role as a haven for LGBTQ people and recommit ourselves to fight for our community’s future.”
"As right-wing legislators and activists around the country attack the rights and basic dignity of LGBTQ+ people, San Francisco shines as a beacon of hope, progress and inclusion for the queer community,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “The Mayor’s flag raising ceremony at City Hall symbolizes the City’s pride in our queer history and commitment to a brighter future for LGBTQ+ people in San Francisco and beyond."
"As a proud member of San Francisco's LGBTQ+ community, I’m honored to join my fellow colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to help kickoff and celebrate Pride Month in our vibrant city,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “San Francisco has always been a beacon of hope and a sanctuary for those seeking acceptance and equality. This month, we honor our history, celebrate our progress, and recommit to the ongoing fight for justice and inclusivity for all. Together, we embody the spirit of pride—resilient, diverse, and unapologetically authentic."
The pride flag gives hope to LGBTQ people everywhere that they are deserving of safe and joyful lives,” said District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio. “It’s also a call to action to establish and defend the rights of every LGBTQ person. Raising this flag in San Francisco is a symbol of our city celebrating the value of LGBTQ people.
San Francisco celebrates Pride month by recognizing the strength and resilience of its LGBTQ leaders and residents, and continued investments to support this community. Despite a significant budget deficit and ongoing economic challenges, the Mayor Breed’s newly proposed budget continues to prioritize LGTBQ programs and services in a number of ways, including investment in HIV services and backfilling the Ryan White HIV/Aids Program.
Mayor Breed’s proposed budget also added new operating funds for SF Pride and restores funding to flagship transitional age youth support programs including LYRIC and Larkin Street, as well as continued investment for the SF LGBT Center’s community building.
In May, Mayor Breed and Supervisors Mandelman, Ronen, Stefani, Melgar, Dorsey, and Engardio introduced a $390 million bond for the November ballot that will support a healthy, vibrant San Francisco, funding key health and public space improvements among many other initiatives.
As part of this bond, the Mayor advocated for $25 million to fund the redesign of Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro and $27 million to acquire a new site for City Clinic, which sits as a trusted source for sexual-health services and information, known for experienced professionals delivering compassionate, high-quality care for over 100 years.
"The world looks to San Francisco to demonstrate that a city does not merely tolerate, but celebrates the LGTBQIA community," said Suzanne Ford, Executive Director of SF Pride. "We will do that again this year."
“Pride is something we strive for 365 days a year,” said the nation’s first Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger. “But during the month of June, we get to add some extra rhinestones and turn up the sparkle, reminding us who we are as people and what we contribute to society and culture at large. As a San Francisco native and the Drag Laureate, it is a huge honor to participate in raising the Pride flag in the city that birthed the original protest/celebration.
“Across the country, State legislatures are considering bills aimed at forcing us back into the closet and erasing us from history. But here in San Francisco, we remain proud of our rich legacy of queer and trans excellence and activism,” said Honey Mahogany, Director of The Office of Transgender Initiatives. “The Office of Transgender Initiatives hopes to continue this legacy and honor our mission to fight for equity in San Francisco and beyond. This Pride season, we look forward to celebrating our wins and accomplishments and rededicating ourselves to the work ahead.”
The livestream for Mayor Breed’s 53rd Annual Pride Month Celebration kick off may be viewed here.
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