“I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act.”
- Janet Mock
Below, LyftOut Executive Sponsor and Head of External Affairs - Public Policy, Jordan Markwith, describes what Pride Month means to him and shares a bit about its history.
Jordan Markwith, Head of External Affairs, Public Policy
As a new executive sponsor of Lyft Out and a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am thrilled to kick off Pride Month today. Pride Month is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising that took place in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. The last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation, the "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQIA+ individuals have had on history, at home and around the world.
This year, LyftOut is celebrating Pride Month with the theme : Their Story, Our Story. Repressive legislation and physical violence continues to disproportionately impact members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and this year’s theme highlights the power and resiliency of the community and our allies. This theme aims to showcase the cultural significance of the LGBTQIA+ community today, while acknowledging every individual’s uniqueness and ability to empower each other. Programming will work in tandem with other ERGs, exemplifying strength in solidarity and working across communities - empowering our collaborations, fortifying our bonds, and joining as a cohesive community and allies, so we can thrive.
There are a number of important dates to circle on your calendar throughout the month of June, including a series of Pride Month Awareness Days;
June 5: HIV Long-Term Survivors Day, honors and increases visibility around HIV survivor issues and needs
June 12: Pulse Remembrance Day, a remembrance of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting victims
June 19: Juneteenth, a commemoration of African American culture and the emancipation of African American slaves
June 27: National HIV Testing Day, encourages individuals to be tested for HIV
June 28: The Stonewall Riots Anniversary, commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising
June 30: Queer Youth of Faith Day, to celebrate and empower LGBTQ youth of different faiths
We encourage everyone to do something to celebrate Pride Month, whether it’s by supporting your local affinity prides, taking action towards legislative work, community service, reading books by LGBTQIA+ authors or even supporting businesses owned by LGBTQIA+ people. Stay tuned for more information throughout the month about Lyft’s partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Over the past five years, Lyft and HRC have worked together to advance pro-LGBTQIA+ policies. We started by setting an example with our own workplace and company policies, with riders and drivers on our platform, and through our public policy advocacy campaigns. We work hard to achieve a score of 100 on HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index which measures an organization’s policies, practices, and benefits for LGBTQIA+ employees - an honor we’ve received since 2017.
LyftOut is an employee resource group (ERG) that builds community across team members who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies at Lyft. LyftOut strives to promote diversity and create positive change through advocacy, communication, empowerment, inclusiveness and respect while representing and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community we serve. We take the opportunity to show our support, love and allyship for our LGBTQIA+ community.