Pride Was an Uprising...

The history of Pride is characterized by struggle and uprisings, as LGBT+ individuals worldwide have defied overwhelming odds, fighting against oppression and advocating for equal treatment.

In May of 1959, ten years before the Stonewall uprising, patrons of Cooper Donuts in Downtown Los Angeles were fed up with police who, at the time, could arrest and convict anyone whose gender expression didn't match the gender they were assigned on their IDs. People were fed up and fought back.

Last week, the Los Angeles City Council's Public Works committee voted to begin the process of memorializing Cooper Donuts and the events that unfolded that night - 64 years later. This is a small victory in a long struggle against the increasing danger our queer and transgender community members face in the United States. Let's never forget what it took to get us here - and recommit to standing alongside our neighbors who need us now more than ever.

Thank you Down the Street for this illustration.