GSA Region 8 kicks off Pride Month with a powerful celebration

June 13, 2024

On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, GSA Region 8, in collaboration with the LGBTQIA Employee Association, marked the beginning of Pride Month with a vibrant and inspiring event at the Denver Federal Center. The gathering, which began at 10:30 a.m., featured remarks  from notable figures, including PBS Deputy Regional Commissioner GW Emge and Colorado State Representative Brianna Titone, D-Arvada, the state’s first transgender lawmaker.

Christopher Gomez, Business Specialist, emceed the event giving a poignant history of Pride Month, recounting the story of the Stonewall Inn and its pivotal role in the modern Gay Rights Movement. “Today, here we are 55 years later and people across the country celebrate Pride in June each year to commemorate the Stonewall uprising and the modern struggle for equal rights,” reflected Gomez. 

Emge followed with a challenge to the audience. “Raising a flag is a symbol. It is a symbol of what people think, what people have gone through, and their stories. It’s more than just a month, it’s every day. I challenge all of us to be curious, to make the effort, and to listen,” Emge urged, emphasizing the deeper significance of the Pride flag and the continuous effort required to foster understanding and acceptance.

Titone shared her personal perspective on Pride Month, defining it as a time of acceptance and empowerment. “What I see Pride Month as being is accepting people for who they are and allowing them to be their best and that’s what we’re here to do, to make the world a better place. That’s what I try to do every day; to leave a legacy of goodwill and good progress behind me and to lift people up along the way. That’s what we should be celebrating,” Titone expressed, inspiring attendees with her vision of a more inclusive world.

Following the ceremony , attendees walked to Gate 1 to witness the raising of the Pride Flag. This symbolic act, signaling the start of a month-long celebration, serves as a reminder of the values of love, acceptance, and pride that the flag represents.

Here’s to a month of celebrating diversity and the enduring spirit of the LGBTQIA community. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜