NLC Spotlight On Pride Month

James Kole, Councilmember, Laurel, Md.

“Pride Month, to me, is about community and making sure people feel like they belong in the place they call home. As a local leader, some of the most meaningful moments have been seeing residents connect with one another at Pride events and knowing that local government helped create a space where people felt welcome, included and comfortable participating in the community.”

Pablo Benavente, Councilmember, Concord, Calif.

“Pride Month means a lot to me personally because I grew up here in Concord. I went through our public schools, built my life here, and now I have the honor of serving the same community that raised me.

 As the first openly gay Concord City Councilmember, I know how important visibility matters, especially for young people who may be struggling to feel accepted or seen. When I was younger, I never imagined someone like me would be sitting on the City Council one day, married to my husband, raising our daughter here in the community I love.

To me, Pride Month is about creating a Concord where everyone feels they belong no matter who they are, who they love or where they come from. It’s about community, acceptance and making sure the next generation grows up knowing they are valued exactly as they are.”

Tim Longergan, Oakland Park, Fla.

“Celebrating PRIDE as a community inspires people and helps to create happiness, community, confidence, diversity, respect and inclusion.  Having a more diverse community leads to greater innovation, smarter decision-making and elevated creativity. Years ago, the LGBTQ+ community may have picked up and began carrying the PRIDE torch for our community, but the PRIDE torch is universal and necessary for all communities.”

Peter Volosin, Councilmember, Roanoke, Va.

“Representation and visibility matter because people deserve to see that leadership is open to everyone. When LGBTQ+ people are visible in public office, it sends a powerful message, especially to young people, that who you are should never limit what you can achieve. It also helps ensure that a wider range of experiences and perspectives are part of the decisions that shape our communities.

For me, representation isn’t about being the ‘gay council member.’ It’s about showing that LGBTQ+ people are neighbors, business owners, parents, volunteers and leaders who care deeply about the same issues as everyone else: safe neighborhoods, good jobs, affordable housing and a strong future for our city. Pride Month reminds us why visibility matters, but inclusion and representation should be values we carry with us all year long.”

Wendy Berry, Councilmember, West St. Paul, Minn.

“Representation and visibility are important all year long because they show everyone that they can also step into a local leadership role, formally or informally, and be part of what happens in their own community. As a queer person, I didn’t see a lot of that in local leadership before I was that person. Since then, I’ve seen people approach me to talk about their LGBTQ+ community members or family members in spaces where that might not have been comfortable before, and that’s been incredibly evident as I’ve traveled the state in my role as President of the League of Minnesota Cities. I’ve also been thrilled to see more LGBTQ+ people step up to run for local office!”

Cesar Ortiz, Policy Analyst, El Paso, Texas

“One important effort is continuing to support community events, outreach and partnerships that create safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ residents and their families. Pride events and community-led gatherings are important because they give people a place to celebrate, connect and feel supported.

Beyond events, I think the larger effort is making sure our public services and community spaces are inclusive and respectful. That means listening to LGBTQ+ residents, working with community partners and making sure people know they can access local government without fear of being dismissed or treated differently. Supporting LGBTQ+ residents is not just about a single program. It is about building a culture of respect, fairness and belonging throughout the community.”

Brianna Doran, Councilmember, Brookings, S.D.

“Our community has consistently worked to achieve a perfect MEI score from the Human Rights Commission for seven years, the highest and only perfect score in South Dakota. Through this initiative, we have continued to improve efforts such as maintaining an LGBTQ+ liaison with our police department, continued public support at Brookings Pride and participation in civic engagement efforts year-round.”