Celebrating LGBT Pride Month

For members of C2PLA June isn’t just the halfway point for the year, for many of us, it’s also Pride Month.  Gay Pride, LGBT Pride or simply Pride is the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to promote their self-affirmation, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements throughout the world. 

C2PLA’s target population is young gay and bisexual men of color, but the work of our coalition typically extends more broadly both into the larger LGBT community and the heterosexual community as well.  Often times we accomplish structural change objectives that have such great impact that whole communities are changed.   This is something to be very proud of. 

So as we close out Spring and welcome Summer, let us continue to be proud of the work we do and the lives we impact.  Remember you don’t have to be an LGBT person to celebrate Pride month.  I encourage you all to get out there and do something in our community to make yourself and the coalition proud. 

Best,

Milton Smith
C2PLA Project Director