ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A CEREMONIAL
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
June 6, 2023
To recognize and honor the LGBTQ+ communities of the District of Columbia, to express the
commitment of the District of Columbia Government to supporting and protecting
LGBTQ+ people, to condemn anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and other acts of prejudice, to
commemorate Capital Pride 2023, and to celebrate the Capital Pride Alliance for
organizing this annual event.
WHEREAS, the theme for Capital Pride 2023 is “Peace, Love, Resolution”, which will
celebrate the remarkable passion, inclusion, and diversity within the LGBTQ+ communities in
the District of Columbia;
WHEREAS, LGBTQ+ people in the District of Columbia have spent many decades
organizing and advocating for their rights and needs, building enduring communities, and
challenging themselves and others to pursue equity and inclusivity in many forms;
WHEREAS, the vision and perseverance of LGBTQ+ people in the District of Columbia
has generated important political breakthroughs in local policy, such as the prohibition of
discrimination based on gender identity or expression beginning in 2005;
WHEREAS, the contributions of LGBTQ+ people in the District of Columbia have
repeatedly generated meaningful progress in movements for LGBTQ+ people nationwide;
WHEREAS, LGBTQ+ people and communities continue to face violence, oppression,
and erasure in the District of Columbia on the basis of their genders and sexualities, especially
where they intersect with other marginalized identities;
WHEREAS, demagogues and political opportunists across the United States have
intensified their efforts to harm LGBTQ+ people and eradicate LGBTQ+ communities, including
by prohibiting inclusive and age-appropriate education on gender, sexuality, history, and the arts;
by denying people access to gender-inclusive health care; by imposing degrading and
unscientific sex stereotypes on youth in sports and on public accommodations; and by recklessly
propagating shameful, dehumanizing, and fascistic falsehoods against LGBTQ+ people;
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 ENROLLED ORIGINAL
WHEREAS, in the face of these unconscionable threats, the need for both dogged public
manifestations of LGBTQ visibility and year-round political action remains as urgent as ever;
WHEREAS, the Capital Pride Festival will provide a full week of cultural, political,
social, religious, athletic, and community service events from June 2 through June 11, 2023,
which will offer an eclectic experience for all in attendance and will culminate in the Annual
Capital Pride Parade on June 10th and a Capital Pride Concert on June 11th;
WHEREAS, Admiral Rachel Levin, the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services will be honored with the “Paving the Way” Award,
and LGBTQ activist Earlene Budd will be honored with the “Super Hero” Award at this year’s
Capital Pride Honors for their work on behalf of Capital Pride and the larger LGBTQ+
community;
WHEREAS, the LGBTQ+ communities of the District of Colombia have been a strong
and positive force in the city and encompass people of every gender, race, age, and religion and
from every walk of life, as well as individuals who significantly contribute to the political, social,
and cultural life of our LGBTQ+ community; and
WHEREAS, this annual event reflects the hard work and dedication of the Capital
Alliance Board of Directors and Production Team; event sponsors Marriott International, Live
Casino and Hotel, Pepco, HOT 99.5, Capital One, Washington Blade, Whitman-Walker Health,
Human Rights Campaign, and others; and hundreds of volunteers from across the Washington
Metropolitan Region who make this legendary festival a success every year.
RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “48th Annual Capital Pride Festival Recognition Resolution of
2023”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes June 2023 as Pride Month and
celebrates the contributions and work of LGTBQ+ people to making the District of Columbia a
vibrant and inclusive city, commits itself to the ongoing protection and support of LGBTQ+
people in the District of Columbia, and honors the Capital Pride Alliance and all who contribute
to the success of Capital Pride 2023.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
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