Statement on Pride Month from Dr. Denise Isom & Dr. Keith Humphrey

Life, Healing, Sunlight, Nature, Peace, Spirit; the meaning of the six colors of the original Pride flag - Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. In recent years, the flag has grown even more vibrant in added colors to represent the intersectional diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, BIPOC and Two-Spirit communities.

That flag is flown all year, but especially in June, for June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. It is celebrated each year to commemorate and honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn, lead in part by an African American self-identified drag queen named Marsha P. Johnson, staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which the LGBTQ+ community were commonly subjected.

The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point and its import as a key moment in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement was solidified by the marches and parades that began a year later and have taken place every year after.

Pride month serves as a time of celebration of the power and beauty of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as a time to gather the community and their allies to continue the fight to secure their civil rights. Today, the LGBTQ+ community are fighting against educational restrictions in some districts and states to remove their history, legal precedents against their self-expression, and systemic barriers to health, gender affirming care, and in some cases, the recognition of the value of their identity and human worth.

Despite the historical and ongoing disparities faced by LGBTQ+ community, their spirit and strength are beautifully reflected in a flag that celebrates Life, Healing, and Peace.

Celebrate Pride this month with a spirit of joy as well as actions towards education, equity, and justice. The Office of University Diversity & Inclusion is a proud sponsor of Central Coast Pride. Join in the series of events happening throughout the City of San Luis Obispo on June 2-4.

“We continue to find joy in community and in lifting one another up. Our survival is revolutionary.” – Transgender Law Center

Dr. Denise Isom, Interim Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion / Chief Diversity Officer

Dr. Keith Humphrey, Vice President for Student Affairs