It continues to be a painful time for all of us. It is hard to celebrate anything right now and there are lots of people who passed significant milestones in their lives this month. People became parents and grandparents. Many graduated from high school and college. New chapers began in muted hope against the backdrop of worry.

It's so very hard to celebrate right now, but we can still engage in the important act of recognition. It's Pride Month and so we recognize the valuable individuals who are LGBTQ and members of the greater Downtown Campbell community. When we recognize those who have been marginalized, we recognize our shared humanity and that no matter how different we may seem, we are still of the same human race and all equally deserving of dignity and unabated human rights.

So I recite in a solemnity that is hardened by the persistant pilot light of hope that on this day in history of June 28th in 1969, a catalyst for change happened in New York City. On this day, a police raid at a Gay nightclub called the Stonewall Inn ignited the Stonewall Riots and ensuing days of unrest. The event is now remembered as a landmark moment in the Gay rights movement that has over the course of decades afforded improved rights for the LGBTQ individuals amongst us.

We still have much work to do, but especially in our current time of trouble, we must pause to recognize that we've come out of that period of unrest as a more equal, more just, and more perfect union. To all of our LGBTQ friends, we wish you a belated and prideful Pride Month. May we continue to work on the difficult task of healing and justice together.