The SDCCD has had a presence in the annual parade since it began more than 40 years ago, but will be the sixth year the district marches together as a contingent. Members of the district’s Board of Trustees will take part in the celebration, and representatives from every college – City, Mesa, and Miramar, along with the College of Continuing Education – will be there, too.
Register to walk with the SDCCD here
The parade is set to start at 11 a.m. It follows a 1.5-mile-route beginning at the Hillcrest Pride Flag at University Avenue and Normal Street, continues west on University Avenue, turns south on Sixth Avenue and left onto Balboa Drive and ends at Quince Drive.
Free T-shirts will be provided to the first 300 SDCCD participants. Free shuttle service will run between the Old Naval Hospital, on President’s Way and Park Boulevard, to the start of the parade route.
PRIDE PARADE information
SDCCD & Community Resources
San Diego City College LGBTQIA
San Diego Mesa College Pride Center
San Diego Miramar College LGBTQ+ Resources
The San Diego LGBT Community Center
PFLAG San Diego County Resources
The origins of Pride Month dates back to June 28, 1969 when the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in the Greenwich Village in New York City. At time where same-sex relations were illegal in New York City, Stonewall Inn became a haven for city’s gay, lesbian, and transgender community, serving as a place of refuge where they can love and express themselves freely. When the police raided Stonewall on the morning of June 28, angry patrons and neighborhood residents started a series of riots in support of gay liberation. Incited by activists Marsha P. Johnason, Silvia Rivera, and Storme DeLaverie, the six nights of organized riots became known as the Stonewall Riots. On the first anniversary of the uprising, a march was organized under the theme of “Gay Pride”, starting from Christopher Street down to Central Park. Since then, Pride Month is not only celebrated in the United States, but all over the world.
Though there had been many previous acts of resistance and protests, the Stonewall Riots became a catalyst for the gay rights movement in America. The movement has led to many organizations for LGBQ+ political activism such as the Gay Liberation Front, Human Rights Campaign, and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). In June 2000, President Bill Clinton declared every June as the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and to be considered to be Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in America. Under President Barack Obama, the name was changed in 2009 to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month to be more inclusive. This was further strengthened by President Joe Biden when he declared June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQ+) Pride Month in 2021.
Pride Month is observed to not only celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and their contributions, but to remember the violence, marginalization, and historical struggles that they have endured. Though there is still a lot of work to be done, it is important to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ community as doing so fosters diversity and creates a more inclusive community. The San Diego Community College District takes pride in offering offices and services that support our LGBTQ+ students as well as promoting awareness about issues that impact our community as a whole. We strive to create safe places and empower individuals to reclaim rights and freedoms that are continuously challenged or denied. We stand by our students, faculty, and classified professionals as we continue to advocate for justice, equality, and freedom for all.
Register here to join the San Diego Community College District in this year’s Pride Parade on July 15, 2023.