Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams Join Forces at City Hall Park Ceremony, Reaffirming Commitment to LGBTQ+ Rights and Resilience
New York, N.Y. — In a powerful display of solidarity, New York City and state officials gathered at City Hall Park on June 3, 2025, to raise the Pride flag, ceremoniously launching Pride Month celebrations.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams led the event, which drew hundreds of activists, community leaders, and allies. The ceremony underscored New York’s unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community amid ongoing national challenges to equality.
Historic Moment For Inclusivity
Against the backdrop of Manhattan’s skyline, the rainbow flag ascended beside the U.S. and New York flags—a symbolic gesture first instituted statewide in 2021.
Hochul emphasized the act’s significance:
“This flag is a beacon of hope, reminding us that love will always triumph over hate.”
The dual raising—observed simultaneously at state buildings across New York—marked one of the largest coordinated Pride inaugurations in U.S. history.
The location held deep resonance, just miles from the Stonewall Riots birthplace, where the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement ignited in 1969.
Leaders Speak on Progress and Challenges
Governor Hochul highlighted legislative strides, including expanded healthcare protections for transgender residents and increased funding for LGBTQ+ youth shelters.
“New York refuses to roll back rights,” she declared, referencing recent restrictive laws in other states.
Mayor Adams echoed her resolve, pledging zero tolerance for discrimination: “Our city’s strength lies in its diversity. When one community is threatened, all of us rise.”
Both leaders condemned rising hate crimes, citing a 20% national surge in anti-LGBTQ+ incidents reported by the Human Rights Campaign in 2024.
Community advocates like Reina Gossett, co-founder of the Audre Lorde Project, addressed the crowd, stressing intersectionality: “True solidarity means centering Black trans women, who face disproportionate violence.”
Gossett praised New York’s sanctuary policies but urged faster implementation of housing initiatives for homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
Community Celebrates Milestones
Attendees waved flags representing diverse identities—from transgender pride to progress pride designs—while choruses of “You Are Loved” echoed through the park. Maria Hernandez, a Brooklyn teacher, attended with her students: “This visibility saves lives. My queer kids see they belong here.” The event also honored legacy organizations like GLAAD, celebrating its 40th anniversary of media advocacy.
Historical context framed the celebration. New York hosted the world’s first Pride march in 1970, and the state legalized same-sex marriage in 2011—a milestone Hochul championed as a then-congresswoman. Yet speakers acknowledged unfinished work, including passage of the federal Equality Act, which remains stalled in Congress.
Looking Ahead: Advocacy In Action
The ceremony concluded with a call to sustain momentum beyond June.
Hochul announced a new state task force to combat LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination, while Adams unveiled “Safe Haven NYC,” expanding mental health services for queer youth.
Activist groups like the Trevor Project set up informational booths, recruiting volunteers for crisis-intervention hotlines.
Globally, the event resonated as a counter-narrative to regressive policies. In the past, New York U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield sent a video message, linking the flag raising to international human rights efforts.
“From Uganda to Hungary, we see oppression—but New York lights the way,” she affirmed.
Audio Summary
New York State and City leaders raised the Pride flag at City Hall Park on June 3, launching Pride Month with a unified show of solidarity. Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams emphasized legislative gains and ongoing challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community. The event honored the movement’s history while announcing new initiatives for workplace equality and youth mental health. Attendees celebrated progress but called for sustained advocacy amid rising discrimination nationwide.
#Pride2025 #NYCPride #LGBTQRights #Solidarity #LoveWins 🌈
TAGS: Pride, LGBTQ, New York, Hochul, Adams, Equality, Inclusion, Stonewall
Vertical panoramic shot of the Progress Pride flag (with trans and BIPOC stripes) soaring beside New York’s state flag at City Hall Park, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams applauding below amid a diverse crowd holding rainbow signs. (1100x550px, 72dpi)
