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6 <br /> 1 A motion was made by Commissioner Carter, seconded by Vice-Chair Hamilton, to <br /> 2 approve and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br /> 5 <br /> 6 Chair Bedford said many proclamations are on the consent agenda, but there are some <br /> 7 that the Board feels are critically important to read aloud. <br /> 8 Paul Slack shared information on some of the events taking place on June 13tn <br /> 9 <br /> 10 b. Proclamation Recognizing June 2025 as Pride Month in Orange County <br /> 11 The Board approved a proclamation designating June 2025 as Pride Month in Orange County. <br /> 12 <br /> 13 BACKGROUND: Each June, communities across the nation celebrate the courage and <br /> 14 contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals while honoring the movement's roots in resistance and <br /> 15 resilience. Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City — a <br /> 16 spontaneous response to police harassment that sparked a nationwide push for LGBTQ+ <br /> 17 liberation and visibility. The first Pride marches, held one year later, transformed that momentum <br /> 18 into public demonstrations for equality, dignity, and freedom. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 Since Stonewall, LGBTQ+ advocacy has driven significant progress, including landmark Supreme <br /> 21 Court decisions affirming marriage equality and workplace protections, as well as expanded <br /> 22 federal hate crime legislation. Today, LGBTQ+ individuals serve in leadership roles across every <br /> 23 level of government, and Pride events around the world continue to amplify voices of joy, identity, <br /> 24 and justice. <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Despite this progress, challenges persist. Discrimination, targeted legislation, and violence — <br /> 27 especially against transgender women of color— remain pressing concerns. LGBTQ+ youth still <br /> 28 face disproportionate levels of bullying and mental health risks. In Orange County, local data <br /> 29 echoes national trends, underscoring the need for affirming spaces in schools and communities. <br /> 30 <br /> 31 Pride Month calls us not only to celebrate how far we've come, but to reaffirm the commitment to <br /> 32 a more inclusive and equitable future where all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender <br /> 33 identity, are treated with dignity and respect. <br /> 34 <br /> 35 There are several Pride Month events happening around Orange County in June, including: <br /> 36 • Chapel Hill Pride Promenade — June 7, 2025 at 12:00 pm <br /> 37 • Carrboro's Pride Piper Walk— June 14, 2025 at 4:30 pm <br /> 38 • Carrboro Orgullo Pride Celebration — June 14, 2025 from 5-8 pm <br /> 39 <br /> 40 Paul Slack, Department of Civil Rights and Civic Life Director, introduced the item. <br /> 41 Paul Slack and Commissioners read the following proclamation in turn: <br /> 42 <br /> 43 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 44 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 2025 <br /> 45 AS PRIDE MONTH <br /> 46 <br /> 47 WHEREAS, LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) Pride Month is <br /> 48 celebrated nationally each year in the month of June, this month being chosen to commemorate <br /> 49 the riots that took place at the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan on the morning of June 28, 1969, often <br /> 50 viewed as the birth of the modern LGBTQ rights movement; and <br /> 51 <br />