It has just been announced that Barack Obama, the 44th president of the USA, will participate in a virtual fundraising event on Friday, June 26th to raise money for the LGBTQ+ community
The Stonewall Day livestream is aimed at raising money for Trans Lifeline, Brave Space Alliance, TransLatin@Coalition, and the Ally Coalition. These organisations have all been hit particularly hard during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Stonewall Day was launched by community engagement and advocacy group Pride Live in 2018 and is fast becoming a global campaign. It commemorates the legacy of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, seen by many as the birth of the modern gay rights movement. For the third annual Stonewall Day, awareness is being focused on the Black Lives Matter movement and the chilling rise in violence against trans women, especially Black trans women.
The event on Friday is presented in partnership with WarnerMedia, Nasdaq, and Pride Media, and will stream live between 12:45 pm – 3 pm Eastern Standard Time (5:45 pm – 8 pm BST)
While you’ll want to be sure to tune in for Obama’s address, stay to watch the rest of the star-studded event. You can tune in on Logo’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
The icons and stars taking part include:
Taylor Swift, Ellen DeGeneres, Dustin Lance Black, Blossom C. Brown Cynthia Erivo, Kesha, Hayley Kiyoko, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Christian Siriano, George Takei, Donatella Versace, Lilly Wachowski, Josephen Skriver, Sir Richard Branson, Jonny Beauchamp, Valentina Sampaio, Chelsea Clinton, Luke Evans, Valerie Jarrett, Kellen Stancil, Stella Maxwell, Imara Jones, Bethany C. Meyers, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Justin Tranter, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Nico Tortorella, Alok Vaid-Menon, Chely Wright, and Conchita Wurst.
Individual messages will also be shared by the Stonewall Day National Chair, trans model Geena Rocero, and Pride Live Board President Dr Yvette C. Burton
In a press release, Burton stated, “COVID-19, and the recent events that have placed a national and global spotlight on the need for fair and equal treatment for all people, has impacted so many around the world, and the LGBTQ+ community has not been immune.”
“This has resulted in vital and lifesaving LGBTQ+ organisations having to amend their budgets and programs severely. Our hopes are Stonewall Day can assist our beneficiaries in continuing their work and service to the community.”
She recognised that Pride as we know it was catalysed by a black trans woman, Marsha P. Johnson, continuing, “From Marsha P. Johnson’s revolution at Stonewall, to the recent murders of Dominique Fells and Riah Milton, the protection of trans people of colour continues to be the litmus test of freedom and equal opportunities.”
We can’t wait to tune into the livestream, and we will be opening our purse to donate to these deserving causes.
- Trans Lifeline runs a peer-support hotline and offers microgrants.
- Brave Space Alliance is the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ centre on the south side of Chicago.
- TransLatin@ Coalition addresses the specific needs of Latinx trans people in America.
- The Ally Coalition supports grassroots nonprofits working on improving the lives of LGBTQ+ youth.
