Pride Kickoff Event

Thanks to everyone who came to support my first annual Pride Month Kickoff event! It was so     much fun to celebrate with community members and allies, and we got to help hold the 400-foot rainbow flag - the perfect kickoff to Pride for our city of Brotherly Love, Sisterly Affection, and Sibling Solidarity!

Legislative Achievements  

While Pride is meant to be a time of joy and celebration, it’s also a time of action. That is why I introduced legislation to recognize and protect members of the LGBTQ+ community. As our City’s first openly LGBTQ+ Councilmember, it was especially encouraging to stand with community advocates and our allies, such as Mayor Cherelle Parker, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, and Philadelphia Council President Kenyatta Johnson in City Hall to announce my Pride Package of resolutions.  

The resolutions included declaring June as Pride Month in the city, pledging to protect LGBTQ+ rights in the event that state or federal law may attempt to take them away, and holding hearings to understand issues facing the LGBTQ+ community in areas such as housing and healthcare, so we can work to remove barriers and allow all members of our community to thrive.

My office also launched LGBTQ+ Votes a new initiative to get out the queer vote! We're are excited to engage with folks all across the city to register 100 voters before November! Join our effort and make sure you have a plan to vote on or before November 5th!

It’s important to me to support other LGBTQ+ elected officials and increase our representation throughout the government – which is why I was proud to help co-host an event for Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride. Senator McBride is running to become the first out Transgender member of Congress and will expand trans visibility in the halls of the Capitol. 

Please check out her campaign and support her if you can!

In a citation ceremony in City Hall, I celebrated incredible Trans leaders and Trans allies in Philadelphia who work with organizations like ACT UP Philly, Philadelphia Name Change Project, and Reclaim Philadelphia to support Trans youth, mitigate the impact of the AIDS health crisis, and build community power to advance racial, economic, and gender equity.

Celebrating Pride at the White House

And finally, I had the honor to be a part of the President’s Pride Month celebration on the White House South Lawn! There was so much fun, joy, and familiar Philly faces in attendance, and the event was a perfect way to celebrate Equality Day, the ninth anniversary of the momentous Supreme Court decision that affirmed the fundamental freedom of marriage equality. 

We had a blast with our Philadelphia and PA crew, celebrating a momentous day and representing our great city and state!