Contributed by: Shatara King
The Center is excited to celebrate the upcoming 2022 PRIDE month!
Before diving into the festivities that are sure to come (virtually or otherwise), let’s briefly revisit the rebellion that birthed this annual celebration. For those who may be unaware, PRIDE Month is celebrated every June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.
The Stonewall Uprising consisted of a series of demonstrations in response to a police raid in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, NYC. Patrons of the Stonewall, other Village LGBTQIA bars, and fellow neighborhood residents fought back when the police became violent.
One of the most iconic people at the center of this movement was Marsha P. Johnson (August 24, 1945-July 6, 1992). Marsha stood at the Center of New York City’s gay liberation movement for nearly 25 years. She was on the front lines of protests against oppressive policing. She also helped found one of the country’s first safe spaces for transgender and homeless youth. And it’s worth noting that these weren’t her only accomplishments. Her contribution to the community was vast and touches the lives of many to this day. For good reason, Ms. Johnson’s memory will forever live on, not just in our hearts, but in the hearts of every LGBTQIA person and ally.
Marsha P. Johnson
For those who already do celebrate (and those who may be considering it), it’s worth taking a moment to consider how much your support means and how necessary it is to this day.
It’s important to note that we still live in a time where the very existence of the LGBTQIA community is under constant threat.
Here at The Center, our Diversity & Inclusion Committee works to achieve an ongoing celebration of diversity within the firm. We recognize that these celebrations must go on. However, we also acknowledge the work that still needs to be done to finish the completion of a society that fully accepts and honors the challenging history of the LGBTQIA community and allies, those who have served as the trailblazers prior to this point, and the many that have yet to come.
The LGBTQIA community will forever be woven into the fabric of our history, and because of this, they are more than deserving of our respect, true acceptance, and support.
Shatara King is a Client Service Associate at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Development from Oakland University and also serves as the Chair of The Center’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.