4 days ago
Grand Rapids signs proclamation for Pride Month 2025
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — On Tuesday, the Grand Rapids City Commission announced that it signed a proclamation officially designating June 2025 as Pride Month.
Many communities across West Michigan are holding celebrations in June to celebrate Pride Month. Grand Rapids will hold its 37th Pride Festival on June 21 and 22.
The proclamation read in part that the 'the contributions of Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and all other related individuals are vital to the rich cultural, economic, and social fabric of Grand Rapids, and they deserve to feel safe, free from discrimination, and able to live without fear of harassment.'
Third Ward Commissioner Marshall A. Kilgore is Grand Rapids' first openly LGBTQ+ commissioner. He was quick to point out how far the community has come, while simultaneously acknowledging there is still progress to be made.
'As a little queer boy growing up in West Michigan, this was not easy,' Kilgore told News 8. 'This was not easy and I know that as someone under 30 we have gone so far but not far enough. There is still a lot of work to be done.'
Kilgore credited his colleagues for their work in the process of building a community that he believes will be equal to everyone.
'We have a mayor and a commission that, if they are not a part of this community like I am, they are allies,' Kilgore said. And we are simply saying, 'we are not putting anyone above anyone else.' We are saying 'we all have a right to equality here in this city.''
Kilgore says that he is fulfilling a daily promise to himself that he made when he landed his role.
'It does feel different because I have to speak truth to power,' he said. 'I have to be the person in this room that is speaking up for people who are often overlooked, unseen, and unheard and that was my promise from day one when running for this position was to do just that.'
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