Quick Take
Santa Cruz Pride celebrates its 50th anniversary this year as LGBTQ+ rights face escalating national threats since Donald Trump’s reelection. We are lucky here in Santa Cruz County and in California, writes Pride board chair Rob Darrow, where the policies and access for trans people remain intact. Local Pride events throughout May and June honor LGBTQ+ history while calling the community to stand up and show up. Here, Darrow insists this is a pivotal moment — not just to celebrate progress, but to stand up and show up for it.
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In 2025, as we mark the 50th anniversary of Santa Cruz Pride, the need to stand together has never been more urgent.
Across the United States, LGBTQ+ individuals face escalating threats to their rights and safety. Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, his administration has erased any mention of LGBTQ+ people from government websites and National Park Service websites and issued executive orders to try to reverse protections for transgender individuals.
As the courts sort out what can and cannot be rolled back, Pride events throughout the nation continue and are expanding, despite reduced business sponsorships. World Pride this year takes place in Washington, D.C., in May and June, and our own Santa Cruz County Pride events are also taking place in May and June.
In Santa Cruz County, the LGBTQ+ community has long been an integral part of our social fabric. Santa Cruz Pride, founded in 1975, was the first Pride in a small city and is the third-oldest in California. Over the past five decades, queer and trans individuals have contributed immensely to the vibrancy and inclusivity of our county.
This year’s Pride theme, “Riding the Wave of Progress, No Going Back,” encapsulates our commitment to advancing equality and resisting regression. Pride Week kicks off on May 26, culminating in the parade and festival on June 1.
We invite everyone throughout the county to light up their homes, businesses and schools with rainbow lights and fly the rainbow flag as one way to show up for the 50th anniversary during the last week of May and the month of June.
You can show up by learning more about our local LGBTQ+ history by listening to podcasts developed by students, by viewing the painted utility art boxes around Santa Cruz completed by queer artists, by attending the variety of events including musical concerts where a special musical commission for the 50th anniversary will be performed. You can also attend our annual Queerlantis Golden Jubilee with drag performers or the “Generations of Pride” dinner and dance.
There is still time to register to be in our parade or have a booth in our festival on June 1. Throughout May and June, a variety of events will celebrate our community’s resilience and history. The origins of Pride trace back to the Stonewall riots of June 1969, when LGBTQ+ individuals stood up against police harassment at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. This act of defiance sparked a global movement for LGBTQ+ rights. The first Pride marches occurred a year later, laying the foundation for annual celebrations worldwide.
Locally, our Pride board continues to hear the concerns and challenges of our community. For the 2024 Pride parade, the board voted not to include law enforcement in the parade. As a result, over 100 letters, comments and op-eds were written by a variety of community members.
In response, the Santa Cruz Pride board initiated a study in 2024 to examine the relationship between the LGBTQ+ community and law enforcement. Based on early input, the board voted to welcome law enforcement to this year’s parade and festival. UC Santa Cruz student researchers will soon launch a survey for queer and trans residents to share their perspectives, with results to be released this fall.
Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to show up — for visibility, for solidarity, and for the continued fight for equality. Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or an ally, your presence at Santa Cruz Pride events sends a powerful message: We will not be silenced, and we will not go back.
Join us in celebrating our history, acknowledging our challenges, and committing to a future where everyone is affirmed for who they are.
Rob Darrow is a native Santa Cruzan, lifelong educator and chair of Santa Cruz Pride.