County Executive Marc Elrich, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Councilmember Evan Glass Join LGBTQ+ Leaders for Seventh Annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony in Rockville
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Councilmember Evan Glass were joined by Congressman Jamie Raskin, LGBTQ+ community leaders, elected officials and community members today for the seventh annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony to kick off Pride Month.
The event’s keynote speakers included Yael Astor, an inclusion specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools’ Office of Curriculum & Instructional Programs, and Phillip Alexander Downie, executive director for the MoCo Pride Center.
Speakers, Councilmembers and LGBTQ+ community leaders arrived in the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s #RideWithPride Ride On bus, which will be serving residents on routes across the County throughout the month of June. This is the third year Montgomery County has supported a Pride bus. The bus displayed a new design, featuring a kaleidoscope of color with the theme “Radiating Love” and Ride with Pride in neon lights.
“This Pride Month, and every day, we celebrate our LGBTQ+ community in Montgomery County and take pride in living in a County where the talents and contributions of all people are recognized. With our LGBTQ+ neighbors enduring constant attacks by the Trump Administration, we must recommit to fighting alongside them to guarantee the rights and freedoms of all,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08). “I was proud to join County Executive Elrich, Councilmember Glass and community leaders to raise the flag of inclusion and solidarity.”
Today’s flag raising ceremony was held in Rockville and is the second event to help kick off Pride Month. On May 30, a Pride flag was raised at Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring as part of the “Live in Your Truth” event, hosted by the MoCo Pride Center.
“Every year, we raise this flag to say clearly that LGBTQ+ residents belong here, and we’re not going backwards,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “In a time when our federal government is trying to erase history, restrict rights and fuel hate, Montgomery County is doing the opposite. We’re protecting our LGBTQ+ community and recognizing their many contributions to our County’s history and culture. Standing with the LGBTQ+ community is the right thing to do, and it makes us a stronger, better community overall.”
This is the seventh annual formal recognition of June as Pride Month in Montgomery County, an initiative spearheaded by Councilmember Glass, the Council’s first openly LGBTQ+ member.
“As the Trump administration tries to erase LGBTQ+ people from this country’s history and culture, we must further uplift our community and embrace the rich diversity that makes Montgomery County a wonderful place to call home. Now is the time to make our voices heard,” said Councilmember Glass. “As we continue our fight for civil rights and liberties, Pride Month is a time to reflect on our progress and to focus on the work ahead.”
Advertisement
Montgomery County leaders proudly celebrate diversity and maintain the belief that everyone should be able to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence and hatred based on race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation, age or disability. Montgomery County has strengthened protections of LGBTQ+ rights, including the passage of the LGBTQ+ Bill of Rights in 2020, and seeks to be a safe haven where the LGBTQ+ community is protected, supported and celebrated. Today’s flag raising ceremony recognizes the meaningful contributions that LGBTQ+ residents have made in Montgomery County, the state of Maryland and worldwide.
The Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag is an inclusive symbol that celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent the disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ lives lost to HIV/AIDS, especially in Black and Brown communities, pink, light blue and white stripes to represent the transgender community and adds elements of the intersex flag to symbolize intersex inclusion.
Councilmember Glass is hosting a series of community events celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month. View a full list of upcoming Pride Month events .
Release ID: 25-238
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 301-529-7669
Categories: Executive Office , Transportation
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47157