The month of June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month). LGBT Pride Month began as a way to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, a tipping point in the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.

What began as “Gay Pride Day” has evolved into a month-long series of events observed around the world. These tributes also include memorials for people who have been lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS.

There is no dispute of the fact that we better serve the public when the local government workforce draws from the talents and unique experiences of individuals from every community across the globe. Though all of ICMA’s members face difficult challenges each day, the diversity of thought, opinion, and perspective of our membership drives the innovation and resourcefulness needed to get our essential work done.

Our LGBTQIA+ colleagues are instrumental in helping their organizations fulfill their public service-driven missions. Join us in honoring our LGBTQIA+ colleagues serving in local government management for their perseverance, triumphs, and contributions to the profession.

Partnership with CivicPRIDE

ICMA remains committed to advancing equity and LGBTQIA+ participation in local government and proudly partners with CivicPRIDE, the first nationally recognized professional association for LGBTQIA+ professionals in local government. CivicPRIDE’s mission is to advance inclusive local government by empowering LGBTQIA+ leadership.

Declaration of Ideals

The ICMA Executive Board Declaration of Ideals, initially issued in 1984, addresses the association’s commitment to equity and social justice:

"The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) was founded with a commitment to the preservation of the values and integrity of representative local government and local democracy and a dedication to the promotion of efficient and effective management of public services. To fulfill the spirit of this commitment, ICMA works to maintain and enhance public trust and confidence in local government, to achieve equity and social justice, to affirm human dignity, and to improve the quality of life for the individual and the community."

We Want to Hear from You

As always, we invite our global peer-to-peer network of ICMA members to share their experiences of lessons learned and successes so that we can continue to learn from one another. Tell us about how your community celebrates Pride Month in June—and celebrates the entire LGBTQIA+ community year-round. Email us at speakup@icma.org.

Learn More

ICMA offers various tools and research that are available to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce. Please take advantage and learn more from these helpful resources.

CAMILLA POSTHILL is project manager, membership, at ICMA (cposthill@icma.org).