15 Jun How to Celebrate Pride Month in Your Nonprofit Organization

Pride Month, which takes place annually in June, is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its ongoing struggle for equality. As a nonprofit organization, you can play a significant role in promoting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community during this month. In this blog, we will explore some ways to celebrate Pride Month in your nonprofit organization.

1. Incorporate LGBTQ+ inclusivity into your organization’s policies and practices

One of the most meaningful ways to support the LGBTQ+ community is to ensure that your organization’s policies and practices are inclusive. This can include things like using gender-inclusive language in all communications, offering inclusive health benefits, and implementing anti-discrimination policies that explicitly protect LGBTQ+ employees and clients. Consider forming a diversity and inclusion committee within your organization to oversee these efforts.

2. Amplify the voices of marginalized LGBTQ+ communities

While Pride Month is a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, it’s also important to recognize that some community members face more marginalization than others. For example, Black and Brown LGBTQ+ individuals experience higher rates of violence and discrimination than their white counterparts. Your organization can make a concerted effort to amplify the voices of these marginalized communities by inviting speakers and panelists who represent a diverse range of LGBTQ+ identities and prioritizing the needs and perspectives of marginalized individuals in all your Pride Month activities.

3. Be intentional about language and representation

Use language that is inclusive, up-to-date, and gender neutral. Avoid assumptions about gender identity or sexual orientation and consider the intersectionality of identities when selecting visuals. Ensure your grant writing demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and respect for the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, building relationships with funders can improve your grant writing success. Take the time to get to know the funders, their priorities and interests, and tailor your proposal accordingly.

4. Host an intersectional event

As mentioned earlier, it’s essential to recognize that LGBTQ+ individuals exist at the intersection of many different identities and experiences. Consider hosting an event that explicitly acknowledges these intersections and invites participants to engage in conversations about how race, gender, class, and other factors impact the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. This might include a panel discussion featuring activists from different social justice movements or an allyship workshop emphasizing the importance of supporting marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community.

5. Make a long-term commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity

Finally, it’s important to recognize that celebrating Pride Month is just one small part of supporting the LGBTQ+ community. To make a lasting impact, your organization should commit to LGBTQ+ inclusivity and advocacy. This might involve ongoing education and training for staff and volunteers, regular donations to LGBTQ+ organizations, and a continuing effort to ensure that your organization’s policies and practices are inclusive and welcoming to all members of the LGBTQ+ community.