Pride 2025: Black LGBTQ+ Californians Lean on History — and Each Other — in the Face of Growing Hate

Natasha Hooper, a poet from San Diego, is celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month by honoring often overlooked Black historical figures and attending Black-focused Pride events. Despite recent corporate pullback from Pride events, with 39% of surveyed companies planning to reduce their engagement according to Gravity Research, Black LGBTQ+ Californians are committed to maintaining visibility and celebrating their heritage. A recent California Civil Rights Department survey revealed that LGBTQ+ respondents experience higher rates of hate incidents than the general population, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and pansexual adults at 12% and transgender adults at 19%.