LGBTQ+ Pride Month Proclamations

City Council's Rejection of Pride Month Proclamation: A Betrayal of Yakima's Values

Dear Yakima City Councilmembers,

The recent vote to reject the LGBTQ2S+ Pride Month proclamation is not merely disappointing; it's a blatant disregard for a significant segment of our community. This decision erodes the very foundation of inclusivity this city claims to uphold.

The LGBTQ2S+ community is not invisible. We are your teachers, your firefighters, your small business owners. We are woven into the fabric of Yakima, contributing to its growth and vibrancy. Yet, by rejecting this proclamation, you've chosen to marginalize us, sending a message that our voices and experiences don't matter.

The proposed proclamation wasn't just a symbolic gesture; it was a recognition of the ongoing struggles for equality and a celebration of our diverse identities.  Its rejection undermines the very spirit of Pride, a movement born from the fight for basic human dignity.

This vote disproportionately impacts LGBTQ2S+ youth, who grapple with self-acceptance and societal prejudice. Your decision tells them they are unwelcome, unseen, and unsupported by their own city leadership. This is unacceptable.

Yakima Pride demands the City Council reverse this egregious error.  Open a dialogue with our community.  Understand the significance of Pride Month.  Work with us to build a Yakima that celebrates diversity and fosters inclusion for all.

Let's not allow this city to become synonymous with bigotry.  Reconsider your stance, and proclaim June as LGBTQ2S+ Pride Month.  Show Yakima that you stand for equality, not exclusion.

We, the LGBTQ2S+ community of Yakima, will not be silenced. We will continue to fight for our rightful place in this city, and we urge you to join us in creating a truly inclusive Yakima for everyone.

With unwavering resolve,

Joshua Hastings

President, Yakima Pride

The City of Yakima operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The Seven (7) member City Council is the City’s governing body. Members of the City Council serve four-year terms.

CITY OF YAKIMA

P R O C L A M A T I O N

WHEREAS, June is recognized as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual, Aromantic, Queer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, and Intersex + Pride Month, and the plus reflects the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify; and

WHEREAS, the historic Stonewall uprising of 1969 is generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement, and serves as a reminder that progress and equality can only be achieved through determination, resilience, and collective action;

WHEREAS, the City of Yakima values the diversity and contributions of all its residents, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, and recognizes the ongoing struggles and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community; and

WHEREAS, the City of Yakima and its officials acknowledge and promote a more respectful, supportive, and inclusive society where LGBTQ+ individuals can live freely, feel safe, and be free from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity; and

WHEREAS, the City of Yakima celebrates the contributions and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, including those of its own residents, and recognizes the important role that LGBTQ+ individuals have played and continue to play in shaping the history and culture of our city;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Janice Deccio, Mayor of the City of Yakima, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2023 as

“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Asexual, Aromantic, Queer, Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, and Intersex Pride Month”

in the City of Yakima and encourage all people in our city to join in celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion and equal protection under the law. I further encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice and discriminatory policies and practices toward any culture, race, or group.

Dated this 6th day of June, 2023

Janice Deccio, Mayor

CITY OF YAKIMA PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the month of June was designated Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots which occurred in June of 1969 and are generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBT Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability; and

WHEREAS, the long and ongoing struggle of transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minorities for basic civil and human rights continues to provide inspiration to all; and

WHEREAS, Yakima celebrates the history and diversity of our City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and non-binary community and promotes a society in which all residents can live free from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Pride month is an opportunity to celebrate this harmony in which we coexist,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Patricia Byers, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2021 as

“LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH”

in the City of Yakima and encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, respect the rights of all people, and to celebrate the great diversity of our city.

Dated this 18th day of May, 2021

Patricia Byers, Mayor

CITY OF YAKIMA PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the month of June was designated Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots which occurred in June of 1969 and are generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBT Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability; and

WHEREAS, the long and ongoing struggle of transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minorities for basic civil and human rights continues to provide inspiration to all; and

WHEREAS, Yakima celebrates the history and diversity of our City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, community and promotes a society in which all residents can live free from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Pride month is an opportunity to celebrate this harmony in which we coexist,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Patricia Byers, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2020 as

“LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH”

in the City of Yakima and encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, respect the rights of all people, and to celebrate the great diversity of our city.

Dated this 19th day of May, 2020

Patricia Byers, Mayor

CITY OF YAKIMA PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the month of June was designated Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots which occurred in June of 1969 and are generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBT Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability; and

WHEREAS, the long and ongoing struggle of transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minorities for basic civil and human rights continues to provide inspiration to all; and

WHEREAS, Yakima celebrates the history and diversity of our City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, community and promotes a society in which all residents can live free from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Pride month is an opportunity to celebrate this harmony in which we coexist,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Coffey, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2019 as

“LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH”

in the City of Yakima and encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, respect the rights of all people, and to celebrate the great diversity of our city.

Dated this 21st day of May, 2019

Kathy Coffey, Mayor

CITY OF YAKIMA  PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the month of June was designated Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots which occurred in June of 1969 and are generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBT Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability; and

WHEREAS, the long and ongoing struggle of transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minorities for basic civil and human rights continues to provide inspiration to all; and

WHEREAS, Yakima celebrates the history and diversity of our City’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, community and promotes a society in which all residents can live free from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Pride month is an opportunity to celebrate this harmony in which we coexist,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Coffey, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2018 as

“LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH”

in the City of Yakima and encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, respect the rights of all people, and to celebrate the great diversity of our city.

Dated this 15th day of May, 2018

Kathy Coffey, Mayor

CITY OF YAKIMA PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ) Pride Month; and

WHEREAS, “PRIDE” celebrations are held all across the country in recognition of the Stonewall Riots, the birth of the modern gay liberation movement; and

WHEREAS, every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability; and

WHEREAS, Yakima celebrates the history and diversity of our city’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two Spirited and Transsexual community and promotes a society in which all residents can live free from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Pride Week is an opportunity to celebrate the harmony in which we co-exist,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Coffey, Mayor of the City of Yakima and on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the week of June 11-17, 2017 as

“LGBTQ PRIDE WEEK”

in the City of Yakima and encourage everyone to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, respect  the rights of all people, and to celebrate the great diversity of our city.

Dated this 6th day of June, 2017

Kathy Coffey, Mayor

“During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, as Americans wave their flags of pride high and march boldly forward in parades and demonstrations, let us celebrate how far we have come and reaffirm our steadfast belief in the equal dignity of all Americans.”

President Barack Obama