Mayor Duggan, City of Detroit and Motor City Pride kick off LGBTQ+ Pride Month with flag raising in Spirit Plaza

• Event to kick off Pride Month and build excitement for Motor City Pride Festival & Parade
• City of Detroit LGBTQ+ ERG wins ERG of the year award from the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber

Mayor Mike Duggan joined Motor City Pride officials to raise the Pride flag in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month during a ceremony in Detroit’s Spirit Plaza today as part of the City’s commitment to support an inclusive, welcoming city for all.

Pride Month commemorates the struggles and celebrates the progress of the LGBTQ+ community. The flag raising ceremony kicks off Pride Month and leads up to the annual Motor City Pride Festival and Parade on June 8 and 9 (Parade on June 9). The Pride Festival and Parade draws more than 65,000 people to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and encourages unity in support of equality for all individuals.

"The City of Detroit proudly raises our Pride Flag at the start of every Pride Month, and it flies throughout the year to show our unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community and the diversity within our community,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Detroit is proud to be an inclusive city which values all of its residents without judgement.”

Tenika Griggs, Esq., Deputy Director of the Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity (CRIO) Department made mention of CRIO’s programs and services available to those who encounter civil rights violations or struggle with bringing their authentic selves to work. “As we kick off Pride Month, we are reminded to honor the culture of inclusivity that the City promotes daily,” said Griggs. The flag waves with our recognition and support as we continue to stand with the LGBTQ+ community, our employees, friends, family, and activists.”

As a special recognition this year, Kevin Heard, of the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce, awarded the City of Detroit’s LGBTQ+ & Friends Employee Resources Group the ERG of the Year Award, only three years after the ERG’s founding. This prestigious award recognizes the group’s outstanding contributions to promoting diversity, inclusion, and advocacy within the City of Detroit and the broader community. 

Council President Mary Sheffield, and the Governor’s LGBTQ+ Commission representatives were all on hand providing their support of this dynamic community. "As we raise the Pride Flag, let us celebrate the invaluable contributions of the LGBTQ+ Community and honor the immense courage and fortitude that can inspire us all. This annual ceremony reflects Detroit's steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the fight for the equality that every individual deserves," said Sheffield.

Also bringing remarks today was Corporal Dani Woods, LGBT Liaison, Office of Workplace and Community Resiliency, Detroit Police. “The Detroit Police Department is proud to be an inclusive department with every letter of LGBTQ+ represented within our ranks. It is because of the support of our Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Chief that visibility and understanding of the community is paramount and we have a productive yet mutual respect in continuously building a relationship between our department and the LGBTQ+ community. I am both humbled and grateful to be the face and representative of my community in rainbow and blue,” adds Corporal Woods.

Dave Wait, Chair of Motor City Pride and other local LGBTQ+ leaders were visible in strong numbers, “The Pride Flag will continue to wave during the month of June as a testament to how Detroit and Southeast Michigan is a welcoming place for LGBTQ individuals to live, work and raise families, said Dave Wait. “The Pride Flag raising ceremony is symbolic of how the City of Detroit supports the LGBTQ community throughout the year as well as during Pride Month.”  The Motor City Pride Festival & Parade schedules and information can be found at motorcitypride.org.