By Ahmad Goree
Texas Metro News
WASHINGTON- Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano was among hundreds from all over the country, different races, and age groups gathered on the South Lawn of the White House in celebration of Pride Month hosted by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, last week.
The very festive event had a DJ, food, snacks, and drinks as attendees mingled, danced, and took photos in front of the iconic White House pillars that were covered in rainbow colors.
“It was an honor to receive an invitation from President Biden and the First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to celebrate Pride Month at the White House,” said Medrano. “It shows this administration loves us, supports us, and is going to fight with us as LGBTQ rights are being attacked all over the country. I was proud to be representing Dallas, Texas on the South Lawn with hundreds of other LGBTQ people from all over the country.”
The First Lady welcomed the crowd, “When I see you, I see America.”
Biden further touched on state laws that have targeted the LGBTQ community, “Even as we celebrate, we know that this community is under attack. Pride is a celebration but it’s also a declaration.”
Several high-profile government officials and celebrities attended including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, rapper Da Brat, actor Billy Porter, and taking the stage performing was singer Deborah Cox.
During the Pride Month Celebration press gaggle near the North Lawn, White House Director of Black Media, Rodericka Applewhaite talked about the Administration’s engagement with the Black LGBTQ community.
“This Administration has done a really good job not only to [obviously] highlight big buckets of communities but also make sure we are stratifying that, to show that there’s diversity in diversity and making sure every American feel represented,” said Applewhaite, who also noted the importance of having Black media cover the White House.
“There’s no one that’s going to be able to tell our story like us and so to be able to not only make sure we’re giving those outlets exposure into what we are doing at the White House but also giving those outlets the opportunity to hold ‘us’ accountable.”
Queer Eye star Bobby Berk discussed the importance of the LGBTQ community getting out to vote during this election.
“This really is an election not only about democracy but about our basic civil rights,” said Berk. “You know Roe vs Wade is gone, they’re now talking about reversing gay marriage, interracial marriage, contraception; there’s never been an election where so many basic civil liber- ties that as Americans we have always taken for granted are on the chopping block.”
This celebration also marked the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled same-sex marriage as a constitutional right in the 14th Amendment. Additionally, that day, President Biden announced clemency for former LGBTQ service members who were forced out of the military due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The President did not attend the celebration because he was at Camp David preparing for the presidential debate the next day in Atlanta.
