Lansing is kicking off Pride Month. While the city has celebrated its LGBTQ+ community in the past, this will be the first year Lansing will fly the rainbow Pride flag for the entire month of June.
It’s also the first year the city is officially recognizing June as Pride Month, following the recent passage of a Lansing City Council resolution.
City officials gathered Friday to raise the flag, saying they are demonstrating a commitment to celebrating LGBTQ+ identities and histories.
City Councilmember Ryan Kost said the resolution focused on highlighting historically significant LGBTQ+ moments like the Stonewall uprising, marking the start of the gay liberation movement for many in the U.S.
“Thats what the resolution is about,” Kost said. “Making sure we know how things were, how far we’ve come, and that we stand firmly against hate in all its forms.”
Kost reflected on past struggles to foster inclusivity in Lansing, noting one incident where a person set fire to a Pride flag in 2022.
Community members, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and other city officials also gathered for the event. Lansing Pride, the nonprofit responsible for local Pride festivals, donated the flag.
Lorenzo Lopez, the former chair of the mid-Michigan LGBTQ+ networking organization and advocacy group Suits and the City, said the Pride flag signifies the acceptance of Lansing’s community.
“Hate will not exist here,” Lopez said. “What does exist here is love and inclusion.”