June is always a busy time in the LGBTQ+ community, but this Pride Month was exceptionally packed for the Modern Military team.
As a World Pride partner, we kicked off Pride with a record turnout to our National Gala and Awards. The next weekend, our team was proud to table at D.C. Black Pride.
The following weekend, we participated in an exciting new partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs and LGBTQ+ Affairs. Along with their office and two partner organizations, Modern Military co-hosted a historic, first-of-its-kind, three-day Military and Service Pride Weekend as part of Capital Pride’s Diversity of Pride initiative.
Just a week later, our team joined the Military Reform Coalition for two full days of Capitol Hill engagements with members, staff, and committees to highlight the real world impacts of several new policy changes to LGBTQ+ service members, veterans and their families.
The very next day we worked the flagship World Pride/Capital Pride weekend, tabling at the two-day festival and marching in the parade with a massive coalition of partner organizations — rain and shine!
Our massive multi-organization coalition after marching in the World Pride parade
Modern Military staffer Jenn with her daughter at World Pride
Some of the Modern Military team tabling at World Pride: Becca, Cathy, Emily, and Noah
But we weren’t done with Pride after that; the rest of June was just as busy! Here are some of the other highlights, where Modern Military experienced amazing new opportunities for visibility, impact, and advocacy.
Sharing Knowledge With Bloomberg Industries Employees
Our Communications & Advocacy Specialist, Emily Starbuck Gerson, was contacted by Arlington-based Bloomberg Industries to be on a panel for Pride Month. This internal panel was focused on LGBTQ+ policy in America, and it was co-hosted by Bloomberg’s employee resource groups for the veteran community and the LGBTQ+ community. She attended, with our Communications Director Jenn Edwards also there in support.
The other panelists were Casey Pick, the Director of Law and Policy at The Trevor Project, and Orion Rummler, LGBTQ+ reporter at The 19th. There were around 75 attendees, and they were very engaged and asked wonderful questions. Emily was able to discuss some of Modern Military’s programs and advocacy work, along with the need for donations.
Emily, far left, speaking on the panel
The panel was followed by a reception, where Emily and Jenn got to share more about Modern Military with Bloomberg employees. A few weeks later, the employee who invited her shared this: “Your insights were talked about long after the panel ended. It was an amazing discussion.”
A Seat at the Table at Leader Jeffries’ VSO Stakeholder Roundtable
Modern Military’s Interim Executive Director Cathy Marcello was honored to be invited to the Capitol for a special event in June hosted by Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Leaders of around 30 different veteran service organizations (VSOs) were invited to attend this VSO Stakeholder Roundtable, along with six participating members of Congress (Reps. Scott, Conaway, Wasserman Schultz, Jeffries, Takano, and Houlihan).
Leader Jeffries shared that ahead of a meeting with VA Secretary Doug Collins, he wanted to hear directly from VSOs. Particularly, he said, since he says the level of outreach and transparency from the VA to vets and VSOs haven’t been as robust as under previous administrations.
Representation from the LGBTQ+ community was strong; in addition to Modern Military, leaders from SPARTA, Minority Veterans of America, and American Veterans for Equal Rights were present. Cathy, along with the leaders of Sparta and Minority Vets, were asked to speak.
Collectively, they and other minority-focused organizations were able to paint a clear picture about the harms of the ban on transgender military service, impacts of anti-DEI policies, and concerns about VA’s removal of discrimination protections and care for trans, intersex, and nonbinary veterans.
It was powerful for this room, which included both members of Congress and leaders from mainstream VSOs, to hear directly from our community about the growing concerns we face every day. Other themes that emerged from participating VSOs were concerns about staffing and budget cuts at VA, how anti-DEI efforts cause harmful ripple effects (like taking away resources for military sexual trauma), and how VSOs aren’t getting enough information from VA leadership.
Leader Jeffries was so impacted by the roundtable that by the end, he vowed to encourage other members of his Congressional committee to hold town halls focused specifically on veterans in the coming months.
Coining Maryland Gov. Moore at Pride Reception
While working at Capital Pride, the Modern Military team met another fantastic organization, LGBT+ Fallen Heroes Foundation. They ensured we and our friends at SPARTA were invited to a Pride reception hosted in late June by Maryland Governor Wes Moore at the beautiful State House in Annapolis.
Modern Military’s Cathy and Emily were incredibly honored to attend and ensure the organization’s first face-time with Gov. Moore. They were greeted by gorgeous voices from a local LGBTQ+ choir, the New Wave Singers of Baltimore. When Gov. Moore entered the room, Cathy snagged an opportunity to coin him (and get a hug); she also thanked him for his support of the LGBTQ+ military community and introduced him to Commander Emily Shilling, president of our partner organization SPARTA.
Gov. Moore and his wife then gave rousing speeches about the importance of standing up for the LGBTQ+ community and their commitment to ensuring Maryland remains a safe, affirming state. A veteran himself, he also referenced individuals present from the military community and noted that the highest form of patriotism is serving a country that does not honor that service and sacrifice.
Another speaker with a strong military connection was Phillip Westry, both an Army brat and spouse to a veteran who served under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He’s also the executive director of FreeState Justice, a Maryland nonprofit that fights for legal rights for the LGBTQ+ community. We connected with their team after to discuss how we might work together on legal efforts to support transgender service members being pushed out of the military.
A Royal Welcome at the British Embassy Pride Reception
The current British Ambassador and his husband are the first gay couple to live in the British Ambassador’s Residence in D.C. To celebrate, they hosted an invite-only Pride Reception for LGBTQ+ community members and allies.
The residence was decked out in rainbow lights for Pride, with delicious British food like fish and chips. SPARTA’s president was also present, and we were able to make many new connections in the national security community.
Help Us Keep Up the Momentum
Like many nonprofits, the Modern Military team is small and scrappy, with everyone wearing many hats. And like most other LGBTQ+ organizations right now, we are operating on a slim budget as anti-DEI pressures mean fewer corporate sponsors and lost access to federal grant funding.
To our LGBTQ+ military and veteran community, it was an honor to both celebrate with you and host you at these many events. These amazing opportunities from Pride Month help us expand our visibility and provide access in new spaces, which can lead to increased impact of our efforts and fundraising in the long-run. But we greatly need your support to help us keep operations running in the short-term. We can’t do this impactful work without your support. Please consider supporting Modern Military through a one-time or recurring donation today.
