How can you celebrate Pride? Some events and rallies were postponed due to air quality issues in Maryland due to smoke from Canada’s wildfires. With advisories to stay inside and some events being postponed, we compiled of list of a few things you can do to support Pride month. Let’s show love and support!
- When possible and safe, attend Pride events across Maryland. Here are a few towards the end of the month, which may not need to be postponed. Keep an eye out for these:
- Delmarva Pride Festival (June 16-18)
- Baltimore Pride (June 19-25)
- Rockville Pride (June 24)
- Frederick Pride (June 24)
- Salisbury Pride (June 24)
- Westminster Pride (July 8)
Visit your favorite LGBTQ+ organization or local county’s page to find even more pride events.
- Donate! Donations to LGBTQ+ led organizations bring efforts to life. They support nonprofit organizations that are giving lifesaving services to the LGBTQ+ community. Here are just a few groups doing amazing things:
- Baltimore Safe Haven is Baltimore’s only trans led drop-in wellness center that supports TLGBQIA people in Baltimore City with life saving measures such as food distribution and transitional housing. Their organization gives life changing opportunities to TLGBQIA people who are often targets of violence, trauma, and homelessness.
- Trans-Latinx DMV is a Two-Spirit Womxn led organization. They support the needs of Black and Indigenous Trans-Latinx people who live in the DMV area. They accomplish this goal by teaming up with local and national organizations and groups to address the community’s problems and find ways to support. Trans-Latinx DMV change the lives of Transgender, Intersex, and Gender Variant Latinx folks for the better by fostering economic growth, providing training for personal and professional development, and more.
(Trans-Latinx DMV es una organización liderada por Mujeres Trans Dos-Espíritus. Apoyan las necesidades de las personas Trans-Latinx Negras e Indigenas, viviendo en Washington, D.C., Maryland, y Virginia. Logran este objetivo trabajando con organizaciones y grupos locales y nacionales para identificar los problemas de la comunidad y encontrar formas de apoyo. Trans-Latinx DMV cambia las vidas de las personas Latinx Transgenero, Intersexuales y Genero Variante. La organización hace esto fomentando el crecimiento económico, brindando capacitación para el desarrollo personal y profesional y más.) - GLSEN empowers and creates affirming learning environments for LGBTQ children. They center and uplift student-led movements, like Day of Silence, Ally Week, and more. GLSEN was founded by a group of teachers, who were committed to advocate for and alongside LGBTQ students.
- Advocate for legislation that values the livelihood and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people:
- Track anti-trans legislation to extinguish the hate using the Trans Legislation tracker.
- Visit pro-LGBTQ+ organization’s websites, such as the Human Rights Campaign, to find out more about advocacy that we can work for together.
- Go to the national ACLU's LGBTQ page to see what policies we are advocating for to support the LGBTQ+ community.
- Visit our Take Action page or legislative page to follow what we can advocate for in 2024.
- Find bills yourself on Maryland’s General Assembly page.
- Head into Annapolis to testify and talk to your legislators in 2024. (Come with us on our next Lobby Day and we’ll be happy to connect and teach you how. Keep an eye on our Events page for announcements about Lobby Day and more. Sign up for our email list here to stay informed.)
- Promote and share love on social media. Repost pro LGBTQ+ content from organizations led by LGBTQ+ people. Flood timelines with kindness and most importantly, humanity.
- Volunteer at Pride events or for organizations like Baltimore Safe Haven or any other pro-LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization or community group.
Everyone should feel safe to be exactly who they are. Our laws need to reflect acceptance and ensure the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people, especially Trans people whose rights are increasingly being violated. By protecting civil rights, embracing each other, and advocating for the lives of Trans and LGBTQ+ people, we create a world with compassion and kindness. Let’s build our communities up.
