2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, DC! The Capital Pride Alliance is excited for Washington, DC to host WorldPride 2025 and share this momentous and exciting milestone with our international community.
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High School Student & LGBTQ+ Student Rights Advocate
Richa Tripathi (any/all) is a junior at John F. Kennedy High School in Maryland. Since their freshman year of high school, they have been active in local LGBTQ+ student advocacy as part of the leadership for the student organization, MoCo Pride Youth, and the Director for the LGBTQ... Read More →
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the nucleus of the award-winning celebration and protest that is UK Black Pride. Widely known as Lady Phyll – partly due to her decision to reject an MBE in the New Year’s Honours' list to protest Britain’s role in formulating anti-LGBTQI+ penal codes... Read More →
Wednesday June 4, 2025 9:00am - 11:30am EDT National Theatre DC1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
As Black LGBTQ+ people represent the global majority, their voices, experiences, and leadership are essential to advancing human rights worldwide. This dynamic panel will bring together organizers of Black Prides from across the globe—activists, policymakers, and cultural leaders—who are on the front lines of this movement. They will examine the current landscape of Black LGBTQ+ rights, highlighting regions where systemic oppression persists and sharing strategies for driving policy reform through grassroots organizing and international advocacy. The discussion will explore the intersectionality of race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, shedding light on how these overlapping identities shape access to rights, resources, and representation. Panelists will also emphasize the power of visibility, addressing how authentic storytelling and accurate representation in media, politics, and social movements can challenge stereotypes and reshape cultural narratives. Health equity will be a key focus, with conversations on combating disparities in HIV prevention, mental health, and access to culturally competent care. Finally, the panel will explore coalition building and solidarity, offering strategies to strengthen alliances with other marginalized groups, amplifying the broader human rights movement. With a compelling call to action, attendees will be inspired to support Black LGBTQ+ organizations, advocate for policy reforms, and champion a more just and equitable global society.
Professor Paula Gerber combines a razor-sharp legal intellect with passionate activism, to fight for the dismantling of discriminatory systems around the globe.She is a law professor at Monash University, which is not only the largest university in Australia, but also has a significant... Read More →
Wednesday June 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:20pm EDT National Theatre DC1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
LGBTQIA2S+ individuals navigating migration often face profound challenges, including displacement, identity conflict, systemic inequities, and the universal quest for belonging. While these experiences are deeply personal, they reflect broader desires for acceptance, visibility, and empowerment shared across the LGBTQIA2S+ community. This session will explore the unique stressors faced by LGBTQIA2S+ migrants while highlighting how their resilience offers valuable lessons for building a more inclusive and united movement.
Through storytelling, data-driven insights, and interactive discussions, participants will examine the intersections of migration trauma, identity conflict, and the fight for LGBTQIA2S+ visibility. Real-world examples will showcase how migration narratives have challenged oppressive systems, fostered empathy, and built coalitions across diverse communities. By examining these stories, attendees will uncover universal strategies for expanding the LGBTQIA2S+ movement’s “tent,” embracing intersectional experiences, and harnessing resilience for collective betterment.
Attendees will gain tools to amplify marginalized voices, create intentional spaces for visibility, and expand networks that foster collaboration across borders and identities. By focusing on bridge-building and actionable strategies, this session aims to inspire participants to embrace the lessons of migrant resilience and use them to strengthen the LGBTQIA2S+ community as a whole.
Dr. Basel Touchan is a Middle Eastern gay immigrant who transitioned from a career in medicine to focus on human rights advocacy and systems change after seeking refuge in the U.S. during the Syrian civil war. Currently, he serves as a Learning and Development Consultant with History... Read More →
As the voice of a new generation of liberation theologians, a feminist with a unique calling, and a political facilitator with the life experiences and credentials for ministering and leading historical congregations, Bishop Allyson Nelson Abrams, founder, prelate, and pastor of Empowerment... Read More →
Mariann Edgar Budde serves as spiritual leader for 86 Episcopal congregations and ten Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties. The first woman elected to this position, she also serves as the chair of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation... Read More →
Wednesday June 4, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT National Theatre DC1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
Professor Paula Gerber combines a razor-sharp legal intellect with passionate activism, to fight for the dismantling of discriminatory systems around the globe.She is a law professor at Monash University, which is not only the largest university in Australia, but also has a significant... Read More →
Executive Director, Visual Echoes for Human Rights Advocacy (VEHRA)
I am an inspiring activist and community organizer who is a very committed, disciplined and well organized LGBTIQ frontline activist, connected both at national and the internal level working to advance progress on LGBTIQ rights. Over the years, I have worked to combat social stigma... Read More →
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Initiative for Equality and Non Discrimination (INEND)
Essy is the founder and Executive Director of INEND, an organisation that promotes the human rights of sexual and gender minorities in Kenya. Previously, she she led the development of a training programme and blueprint for sensitising religious leaders on compassion and love... Read More →
Charley Beal is a lifelong social activist who attended his first civil rights demonstration in Lansing, Michigan in 1962. He is also an award-winning art director for film and television, working with renowned directors including Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron, Ridley Scott, and Gus Van... Read More →
Monica Helms is an activist, author, and veteran of the United States Navy. She is the creator of the Transgender Pride Flag and the founder of the Transgender American Veterans Association. Monica lives in Atlanta with her wife Darlene where she continues her advocacy for the trans... Read More →
AJ Hikes (they/them) is a social justice advocate, community organizer, TED Talk Speaker, and is unapologetically queer and Black. As Deputy Executive Director for Strategy & Culture at the ACLU National Office, AJ serves as chief counselor and principal partner to the executive director... Read More →
Cathy lives with her wife, Sheila and daughter Jacqueline. Sheila and Cathy have been together 32 years. The family lives in Queens, New York.Cathy spent many years as a Buddy in the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) Buddy Program visiting people afflicted with HIV/AIDS and assisting... Read More →
Wednesday June 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT National Theatre DC1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA