LULAC MARKS PRIDE MONTH WITH ACTION: "CIVIL RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS"

Nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization pledges continued action to uplift LGBTQIA+ voices across the United States and Puerto Rico.

WASHINGTON — As Pride Month 2026 begins, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) stands with the LGBTQIA+ community and renews its commitment to a simple principle: every person deserves to be treated with dignity, no matter who they are or whom they love.

"If we are going to talk about civil rights, then we have to be honest about what that means, because civil rights are human rights," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Chairman of the Board. "To shut anyone out of our hearts or our communities because of who they are, how they see themselves, or whom they love is discrimination, and we have to name it for what it is. LULAC was built by people who were told they did not belong. We will not do that to anyone else." Under Palomares' administration, LULAC established the National LGBTQIA+ Committee to help ensure LGBTQIA+ Latinos are seen, heard, protected, represented, and empowered throughout the organization.

The committee's work comes amid rising threats to LGBTQIA+ people. GLAAD's ALERT Desk documented 1,042 anti-LGBTQ incidents nationwide in 2025, up from 984 in 2024. The FBI separately reported more than 2,400 single-bias hate-crime incidents motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity in 2024. The human cost is felt close to home. In February 2024, África Parrilla García, a 25-year-old transgender woman, was shot and killed in San Juan, Puerto Rico—one of many lives lost amid continuing violence against transgender people.

"Young people are watching how adults respond to this moment, and they are counting on us to show up," said Javier "JC" Cantu, Chair of the LULAC National LGBTQIA+ Committee. "We see you, we stand with you, and we will advocate with you. You are not a problem to be solved; you are a valued part of our familia. We stand on the shoulders of LGBTQIA+ people who fought for civil rights before us, and we will honor their legacy through action." The committee includes Vice Chair Saul Rosa and members Christopher Concepcion, DeShawn Cook, Yvonne Peña, Martin Saenz, and National Youth President Aidan Roach. At the 2026 National Convention, the committee will organize support for Amendment No. 4, which would establish formal LGBTQIA+ leadership at the district, state, and national levels and create lasting coordination for advocacy, programming, and member engagement.

Pride Month traces its roots to June 28, 1969, when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City stood up to a police raid and set off days of protest. Among those on the front lines was Sylvia Rivera, a young transgender activist of Puerto Rican and Venezuelan heritage whose courage helped launch the modern movement for LGBTQIA+ equality. Pride is a celebration, but it began as a stand for safety and dignity, a reminder of why awareness still matters. LGBTQIA+ leadership has been part of LULAC's modern civil-rights work for two decades.

The Dallas Rainbow Council #4871, founded in 2006 as LULAC's first Rainbow Council, is marking its 20th anniversary this year. Councils, including Orgullo de San Antonio, LULAC Lambda, LULAC Power or Three, LGBTQIA+ Voces, and others, have expanded that legacy through advocacy, education, service, and community building. That work has also been advanced by LGBTQIA+ leaders and allies across the organization, including past and present state directors, national committee leaders, educators, and council members, whose service has enabled broader representation.

LGBTQIA+ people are also integral to the nation's economic and civic life. The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce estimates that the United States is home to 1.4 million LGBTQ business owners whose enterprises contribute approximately $1.7 trillion to the economy each year.

"Their cultural contributions run straight through the Latino story," said Juan Proaño, LULAC Chief Executive Officer. "Sylvia Rivera helped ignite a movement. Ricky Martin brought Puerto Rican music to the world while openly standing for equality. When a transgender woman named Alexa was killed in Puerto Rico, it was Bad Bunny who used one of the largest stages in entertainment to say her name. These are not footnotes to our culture. They are our culture, and our familia."

Throughout Pride Month, LULAC will elevate the work of LGBTQIA+ members and councils, oppose policies that threaten their safety and equality, and raise awareness on Amendment No. 4. LULAC encourages members and allies nationwide to stand against discrimination and help build communities in which every person can belong and lead.

"On this opening week of Pride Month, let us all be intentional and respectful, and let us honor the dignity every person is entitled to," Palomares said. "All-inclusiveness is not a favor we grant to others. It is who we are as Americans."

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About the LULAC National LGBTQIA+ Committee:
The LULAC National LGBTQIA+ Committee works to ensure LGBTQIA+ Latinos are seen, heard, protected, represented, and empowered throughout LULAC. Its work is organized around four priorities: litigation and policy; constitutional amendment strategy; programming and health; and communications and visibility. The committee also supports convention engagement, council development, youth leadership, and partnerships that advance dignity, opportunity, and civil rights.

About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, LULAC is committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latino Americans through advocacy, community building, and education. With a growing network of councils nationwide, LULAC remains committed to its mission of protecting and empowering millions of Latinos who contribute daily to America's prosperity. For more information about LULAC and its initiatives, please visit www.lulac.org.

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