June 10, WEST HOLLYWOOD: Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti, West Hollywood Mayor Duran, Mayor Pro Tempore John D’Amico, CSW/LA Pride Board President Estevan Montemayor and 2018 LA Pride Grand Marshal Michaela Mendelsohn kicked off the annual LA Pride Parade – one of the nation’s largest and most storied Pride celebrations – with a press conference at the start on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

A symbolic wedding cake, courtesy of a local West Hollywood Bakery – Cake & Art – was on display to serve as an important reminder that the fight for equal rights did not end with marriage equality.  Grand Marshal Mendelsohn – a longtime transgender activist and respected female entrepreneur – along with her partner and young son cut the cake and took the first bites. Download photos here.

“It’s time to cut the cake for equality because we believe in having our cake and our equal rights too,” said Montemayor in an impassionate speech denouncing the recent Supreme Courte narrow ruling for the Colorado baker who refused a same-sex couple’s request for a wedding wake.  “The Supreme Court may be telling our community that their civil rights are up for debate, but we say, let them eat cake!”

Hundreds of thousands of people turned out along the parade route to celebrate the heritage and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and its unquestionable impact on contemporary culture and society.  This year’s LA Pride theme – #JUSTBE – embodies the celebration of authentic expression to stand proudly in the spirit of unity and togetherness.

Grand Marshal Mendelson, led a colorful assortment of floats down a 1.5 mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard including the casts of Sense8 (Netflix), It’s Always Sunny (FX) and Pose (FX), along with other celebrities and dignitaries including Fran Dresher, Vicky from the Love Boat with The Abbey, Ketya from Drag Race, Marlee Matlin, Attorney Gloria Allred and several ladies dressed in and as “all red,” and Congressman Adam Schiff and Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

About Christopher Street West (CSW) & LA Pride

Christopher Street West (CSW), a 501(c)3 non-profit, organized the world’s first permitted parade advocating for gay rights on June 28, 1970, as a response to and in commemoration of the Stonewall Rebellion on Christopher Street in New York City the year prior. Since then, we have built a rich history as an active voice for the LGBTQ+ community across the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Today, we continue to produce the globally-recognized LA Pride Parade and Festival every June in the City of West Hollywood. We also organize a number of events throughout the year with our non-profit, philanthropic, community, and corporate partners. Visit lapride.org for more information.

Media Contacts

CK&D Public Relations:

Elsa Remak
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Kristen Barnfield
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312-203-0828