Beyond Pride: How Knowing Queer History Can Strengthen Your Workplace & Allyship
Dear nonprofits and allied organizations.
Queer history isn’t just about the past—it’s about understanding the present and shaping a more inclusive future. From the Stonewall Riots to today’s fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, knowing our history helps organizations build stronger, more inclusive workplaces, become better allies, and truly celebrate Pride in meaningful ways.
To dive into this topic, I’m thrilled to welcome Laura Martinez—former Park Ranger for the Stonewall National Monument and the new Development Manager for Queer For Hire—to share her expertise. Laura has spent years studying and sharing Queer history with the public and its relevance to today’s movements. In this conversation, we’ll explore why knowing LGBTQIA+ history is essential for individuals and organizations alike.
You’ve had a unique perspective as a Park Ranger at Stonewall National Monument. How did that experience shape your understanding of queer history and its impact today?
The season I spent at Stonewall, even if short, had a big impact in the way I see my queerness and the space I take in the world. I would not have been a Park Ranger if it wasn’t because of my background as an actor and theater-maker, which makes me look at the world from a unique perspective. When I started at Stonewall, I was imagining myself giving talks to visitors on the history of the Monument. Thanks to the lead Park Ranger at the time, I realized it was about having conversations, not about talking to people. In a way, this exemplified what I’ve learned as an actor about listening and being in the moment with your scene partner and your audience. Yet, at Stonewall, the stories we were conversing about were still alive, in just the possibility of us being there, talking about LGTBQ+ rights, in a government uniform. There were many factors that came together that honestly blew my mind every day. Stonewall is still what it used to be, a place of gathering for our community. Visitors come out of the closet there, they connect with their families about who they are, they see a whole world full of people that understand and accept the way they love. They see what can happen when the community gets organized against oppression, they understand that today they are free to be who they are because in a not so distant past our ancestors resisted and stood up against hate.
Learning Queer history allowed me to see the possibilities of organizing, the power of community, and the huge power that policy and law have over our lives. Before Stonewall, in my mind, there was history, there was art, and there was resistance, all kind of separate from each other. Being at Stonewall showed me how they all work together, which gave me hope to continue working for our community and inspired me to continue searching for my path in life.
Many organizations see Pride Month as a time for celebration but overlook its historical roots. Why is it important for workplaces to connect their DEI efforts to LGBTQIA+ history?
Pride was a riot. The annual NYC Pride that still goes on today is a march, not a parade. It is a reclaiming of our space and an elevation of our existence. It was a bursting point after ages of discrimination, erasure, and hate towards the community. We have so much to celebrate as a community. I mean, being Queer is such a joy for so many of us. But we well know that we are not all free until all of us are free. Today Trans people are being directly targeted by Donald Trump’s policies, putting their lives at constant risk. And the ACLU is currently tracking 527 anti-LGBTQ+ state bills across the country.
History will show you what life was like for LGBTQ+ people before the Riots, what the Riots achieved, and what had to happen after for our movement to continue strong. A big part of the work done by the Park Rangers at Stonewall National Monument is recognizing the movements and efforts that came before and after the Stonewall Riots and the Pride March. Going beyond Pride, elevates the intersections within our community, allowing you to see how colonialism and racism play a role in our oppression. It will also show you how Queer people had an impact in other aspects of life and politics (like Bayard Rustin Way, who organized the march in Washington D.C. in 1963 where MLK gave his “I have a dream…” speech). This knowledge will allow you to have a more thorough, more practical, and intersectional approach to your DEI efforts in the workplace. Like Daa’iyah Rahman said on this blog before, to “recognize that allyship includes addressing all systems of discrimination.”
Reflecting on important moments of Queer history allows us to understand many of the ways in which the community has been oppressed. In turn, we can see how to protect each other. In the workplace, this knowledge can expand our protections by implementing policies that prevent the repetition of history. I urge nonprofit leaders to look at the history of each of their industries and geographical areas, and I promise you will find at least one Queer person who impacted the way you work now.
Queer history is often erased or overlooked in mainstream narratives. What are some key moments or figures that more people should know about?
Some moments that pop-up:
I am a fan of the Julius drink-in, which happened before the Riots at Julius’, a bar right around the corner of Stonewall; And Dewey’s sit-in, which happened in Downtown Philly in 1965; And of course the Copper’s Do-nuts riot in 1959 in LA!
The controversial, yet groundbreaking, Daughters of Bilitis. This can show you how the LGBTQ+ movement has its flaws and how organizations evolved to better reflect the reality.
If you go way back, there is Sappho’s poetry, which can show you that even the Greeks were gay.
I think it’s very important to understand the huge significance of the APA removing homosexuality from their list of illnesses in 1973.
I also recommend going further than the United States and look up the history of Queerness in other places like East Asia and México.
I’m so happy that Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson are being embraced as Queer heroines by our generation. I urge you to familiarize yourselves with their lives and work, which can help you better understand New York and its people.
I feel like everywhere you go, there is a Queer person that has done something to protect your rights, go find them.
For professionals who want to be better allies, how can learning about LGBTQIA+ history strengthen their advocacy and workplace culture?
Understanding history makes it easier to look forward with compassion. It will open up your understanding of who we are and what we need to thrive. It will prepare you to respond effectively when it’s time to protect us. Being able to understand history as a living and breathing force propels us to continue loving, resisting, organizing, and walking hand in hand towards peace.
Remember that as an ally, you are part of the history we are making right now. If you visit the Stonewall National Monument’s webpage, you’ll see that references to Trans and Queer people have been erased and they refer to the community simply as LGB. A living example of how we still have to resist oppression and protect our most vulnerable community members, especially Trans and BIMPOC folx. History shows us that no matter how hard they try, we cannot be erased. But it also shows us that we can be attacked again. It can also help professionals understand the meaning of our symbols and cultural zeitgeist – and meaning gets us closer to reality and to action.
What advice would you give to organizations looking to integrate Queer history into their workplace culture—not just in June, but year-round?
I think art and history are good friends and there are great books, plays, poems, and music that can help you connect with what life was for Queer people before today. Integrating these into workplace book clubs (memoirs by Gilbert Baker and Eddie Windsor or Langston Hughes’ poetry, for example), going to see Queer theater in your town, and even integrating Queer musicians into your playlists during gatherings.
In more day-to-day terms, I invite organizations to remain aware of the role they play in protecting their employees and the impact that has in our collective future. By creating a workplace where Queer people can thrive, you will already be part of making Queer history possible.
If you are not sure where to find information:
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project
Sadly, the NPS Stonewall National Monument website is not reliable anymore.
Sincerely,
Queers
About the Contributor: Laura Martinez (she/ella)
I’m so happy to join Queer For Hire as Development Manager! I’m a queer fundraiser and theater-maker currently based in New York City, passionate about social justice, queer history, and art. I have five years of experience as a fundraiser, with a focus on institutional support, working with LGBTQ+ organizations and non-profit theaters.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
I feel the most alive when I’m dancing.
A Scorpio.
Have probably folded a thousand paper cranes already, but I never count them.
About Queer For Hire
Queer For Hire provides fundraising support and LGBTQIA+ diversity training for nonprofits, professionals, and corporations
Learn about our Fundraising Services <here> – we’ll lead or support your fundraising efforts, whether you need general support or want to focus on raising money from and for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Learn about our Fundraising Trainings <here> – we can coach your board, staff, and fundraising team on how to fundraise and how to engage LGBTQIA+ donors.
Learn about our other services <here> or our resources <here>.
