Pride Month celebrates and uplifts members of the LGBTQI+ community, often evoking images of positivity, celebration, and love. While this rings true, it’s equally important to also recognize the somber origins of Pride and the continued plight of the queer liberation movement. Pride month itself commemorates the Stonewall Uprising, a series of gay liberation protests dating back to 1969. On June 28, 1969, NYPD police aggressively attacked patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a primarily gay bar, sparking six days of protests and violent clashes. Quickly becoming worldwide front-page news, the Stonewall Uprising brought much-needed attention to LGBTQI+ discrimination and hate crimes. One year later, the first Pride Parade was born to commemorate the monumental impact of the uprising.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of Stonewall, but also comes at a time when the LGBTQI+ community faces mounting challenges in the U.S. and around the world. Recognizing these challenges, Social Impact (SI) celebrates the invaluable contributions of the LGBTQI+ community and reaffirms its allyship and solidarity with LGBTQI+ members throughout the globe. SI remains dedicated to highlighting marginalized communities, creating space for greater equity, and to an inclusive culture by providing authentic support year-round.
As a leader in the inclusive development space, SI prioritizes inclusion and understanding of LGBTQI+ issues throughout its implementation efforts across the Globe. As a subcontractor on the USAID Mexico’s 4-year Resilient Civil Society Activity (RSA), SI conducted a special webinar series for associations working within the LGBTQI+ space. The purpose of this series was to promote the well-being and mental health of staff working in institutions that promote LGBTQI+ rights, and to provide their staff with the tools and resources to prioritize mental health and self care.
As a subcontractor on the USAID/Honduras Monitoring & Evaluation Support for Collaborative Learning & Adapting (MESCLA) 2.0 Activity, SI conducted a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Assessment that particularly monitored violence against the LGBTQI+ population in Honduras. The data from this assessment will be used to strengthen Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs) capacity to use the GBV Monitoring & Learning System and integrate the information into their programming and advocacy efforts.
SI has also created the Pride Network, an Employee Resource Group (ERG), marking the first of its kind within the organization. While the founding members are no longer at SI, we hope to revive the ERG with new leadership, committed to cultivating a safe workplace where LGBTQI+ employees can feel comfortable and empowered to be their authentic selves. Another effort to support inclusivity at SI is the creation of the pronoun framework. By integrating pronoun options into our signature guidance and branding, SI has helped create an inclusive culture where staff can share their pronouns and how they identify. This initiative ensures that staff feels supported and valued. Normalizing sharing pronouns not only dismantles the stigma around gender identification but also takes the burden away from trans and gender-diverse individuals. It also can cultivate a profound sense of belonging for individuals with diverse identities.
As an employer and implementer in the development space, SI is committed to supporting the LGBTQI+ community throughout the year. This dedication is reflected by instituting inclusive company policies and processes for its staff and aligning with LGBTQI+ organizations (including Outright Action International). Moreover, we prioritize understanding the unique landscape of each cultural context, including LGBTQI+ issues, in all locations where we implement our projects.
Last year, more than 160 LGBTQ+ community events were targeted with threats of violence, according to GLAAD. The U.S. federal authorities are monitoring potential threats against the LGBTQ+ community as cities hold major events for Pride Month. If you plan to participate in and support Pride events or activities this month, please be vigilant.
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Abigail Price is a Senior Program Manager for SI’s Program Management Unit and a member of the DEI&B Council. She currently manages the USAID/Mali Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Platform and a subcontract under the Gendev Institutional Support Contract.
