Pride Outside Moves Online Amid Safety Concerns, Continues to Celebrate Expanded San Gabriel Mountains Monument and LGBTQ+ Access to Nature

This Pride Month, join California Environmental Voters, Nature for All, CalTrout, Sierra Club Los Angeles, Latino Outdoors, California Native Plant Society, and the Council of Mexican Federations in North America for Pride Outside, a powerful virtual gathering that celebrates community, nature, and progress.  

Originally planned to take place at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Pride Outside will still bring people together to honor the recent expansion of the monument by 105,919 acres, a major win for conservation and equitable access to nature for communities across Southern California.

This event will center the voices of LGBTQ+ community members and allies to highlight why access to the outdoors is essential for everyone, especially for those who have historically been excluded from it. We’ll enjoy performances by local drag stars, connect through storytelling, and advocate for continued investment in our public lands.

Pride Outside is rooted in joy, solidarity, and resilience. As we celebrate the intersection of Pride and climate justice, we also affirm our commitment to the safety of our communities. When it’s safe, we look forward to celebrating together on the land. Until then, our pride, our advocacy, and our love for nature remain as strong as ever. Pride lives wherever we gather online or on the trail.

“The expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument was a critical step toward making our public lands more inclusive and accessible for the communities who need them most, especially LGBTQ+ people, communities of color, and those living without access to nature,” said Aaron McCall, California Environmental Voters’ Federal Advocacy Coordinator. “At a time when our basic rights and safety are under attack, Pride Outside is a reminder that everyone deserves to feel safe, joyful, and connected in the outdoors. We’ll keep fighting to protect these spaces and the people who call them home.”

“Our priority is always the safety and dignity of our community,” said Francisco Moreno, COFEM’s Executive Director. “We stand united in celebrating Pride and in reclaiming outdoor spaces as places of inclusion and joy for everyone.”

“Our organization is devoted to creating outdoor spaces that are welcoming, inclusive, and safe for all,” said Andrea Iniguez, Field Organizer with the Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter, “This year, we are honored to celebrate Pride Outside while reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding the safety and dignity of every individual within our diverse community.”

“Founded by a diverse group of community organizations, Nature for All believes that the public lands we have strived to protect belong to everyone, regardless of their status,” said Belén Bernal, Executive Director of Nature for All. “Every member of our community deserves to live with dignity, hope, and security. We stand with you, our community. We stand with you, Los Angeles. We appreciate the opportunity to work alongside you every day.” 

“We will not be silenced and we will not stop celebrating joy, nature, community, and orgullo,” said Christian La Mont, Communications Program Manager at Latino Outdoors. “We invite our community, every community, to join our virtual Pride Outside event, where we will celebrate, we will gather, we will continue to be joyful and proud, together.”

Join us virtually for Pride Outside and help amplify the call for safe, inclusive access to the outdoors. Together, we’re building a future where all people can find joy and belonging in nature.