June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate, honor, and show up for our LGBTQ2SIA+ communities.
Happy Pride Month from New Seasons Market! We're honored to come together with our LGBTQ2SIA+ communities to celebrate and recognize the historic and continuing impact of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual individuals both locally, nationally, and internationally. We also take this time to recognize and support the ongoing fight for equal rights for these communities.
Pride is celebrated in June to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising, a riot that began on June 28, 1969, following a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. The uprising would end up becoming the catalyst for the gay rights movement.
The first Gay Pride Liberation march took place in Manhattan in 1970 to memorialize the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Thirty years later, Pride Month became official in a 1999 proclamation from former president Bill Clinton. But the battle for LGBTQ2SIA+ rights is far from over.
New Seasons has long supported LGBTQ2SIA+ rights and Portland Pride Month through community and employee engagement.
Portland Pride:
Portland has celebrated Pride since 1976, but it wasn't until 1994 that Pride Northwest, Inc. organized the first annual Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade, celebrating our LGBTQ2SIA+ communities.
The Pride festival is the single largest visibility avenue for our region's LGBTQ2SIA+ communities, organizations, and businesses. We have been supporters of the festival for years and donate booth space to a local non-profit each year serving LGBTQ2SIA+ communities that may not otherwise be able to afford to be part of the celebration.
Employee engagement:
At New Seasons, we march in the Pride parade as a team for visibility and in support of our LGBTQ2SIA+ communities. It is, by far, one of our staff's favorite events, and the turnout is truly impressive. A team of employee volunteers from all over the organization come together to plan our Pride theme and how we will show up at the parade as early as April!
So why is marching in the Portland Pride parade so important? We asked a few team members:
“The PRIDE parade is important to me because everyone deserves to feel connection, acceptance, and belonging. PRIDE conveys that message with an enthusiasm and joy that is unmatched. It is moving to reflect on the progress made for LGBTQ2SIA+ rights and hear stories and inspiration from those who have worked to make these celebrations possible. It is also a call to action to protect and support our LGBTQ2SIA+ community as we continue to work toward a world where everyone can feel safe and loved as they are.”
-Melissa Langager, New Seasons Grant Park
“I'm so proud to work for a company that genuinely cares for and supports the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. I want to show my appreciation to my employers and represent the staff by marching. Marching is an opportunity to gather with others in my community to honor and uplift all people, including those in the LGBTQ2SIA+ community and our allies. See you there in July!”
-Marty Phreed, New Seasons Grant Park
“Marching in the Pride Parade gives me an immense feeling of belonging. I feel encouraged to represent myself, my culture, and my identity. Walking with New Seasons makes me feel proud about where I work and the inclusive environment that welcomed me ten years ago.”
-Alex Alvelo, New Seasons Raleigh Hills
Join us in celebrating Pride Month, and we'll see you at the parade!
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