Dear Common Cause members and friends,

As summer ramps up and June winds down, I wanted to take a moment for us to pause and reflect together as an organization on the importance of PRIDE MONTH. 

Today, June 28, marks the 52^và anniversary of the Stonewall riots – a series of demonstrations by patrons of the Stonewall Inn and other gay and lesbian bars in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City in protest to a police raid that became violent. Stonewall is seen by many as a major catalytic event that unified the LGBTQ+ community. This article gives a good overview of the origins of Pride Month.

In the decades that have followed, the LGBTQ+ movement has experienced both great struggles and great strides on the path to equality – with perhaps the most notable milestone being the 2015 Supreme Court decision that ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.

While much progress has been made in both policy and culture in the U.S. and western democracies, much work remains here at home and around the world. At Common Cause, we stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ staff, family members, and friends, committed to do our part for a more equitable world.

In common cause,

Karen Hobert Flynn

President, Common Cause