Blocking access, creating barriers, and expressing hostile attitudes and behaviors toward members of LGBTQ+ communities. Pride Month is centered on reflecting and celebrating the constant and consistent fight to belong in societies across the world. Belonging, a human need that transcends all identities, is a connection experience that institutions of higher education, secondary schools, and other entities are working diligently to expand capacity in their environments for students and staff.

How do advancement professionals and organizations react when alumni and donors express attitudes and demonstrate behaviors that signal LGBTQ+ members do not belong in their alma mater community? How do advancement professionals address alumni and donors who feel like their sense of belonging is slipping away as institutions and schools use their platforms to communicate and implement strategies that create a sense of belonging for communities that were historically denied access to higher education, and/or continue to experience hostile attitudes and behaviors toward their existence in these spaces?

Pride month is more than parades in the street, Pride flags flying high, featured merchandise, or adding an LGBTQ+ filter to a profile picture on social media. Transgender and queer people of color risked their lives during the Cooper’s Do-nuts Riot in 1959, 10 years prior to the Stonewall Riot, fighting for the community’s right to belong and not be harassed.  What will we do as advancement organizations and professionals to join in on the constant and consistent battle? Will we advocate for policy changes, engage in compassionate conversations with our alumni and donors, and ask members within the community what does holding our organizations accountable look like? Will we work to continue to build the trust of the LGBTQ+ community and affirm their sense of belonging in the face of external and internal bias? Will we step up?

Pride month is an opportunity to reflect on what actions have been done and what actions need yet to be done. Use Pride month as one of the intentionally designated times to measure your professional and organizational progress, celebrate your wins, acknowledge your challenges, and reflect on your growth. That of course, is the purpose of Pride Month.