The 15th annual Oakland Pride drew thousands of people to festivities in downtown Oakland on Sunday, September 7. In the morning, SEIU 1021 members participated in the march. And in the afternoon, as attendees danced and enjoyed performances at the three stages, the SEIU 1021 Lavender Solidarity Committee hosted an informational booth, giving out leaflets, temporary tattoos, buttons, and other swag.

Oakland Pride is a nonprofit-led event dedicated to promoting equality, social justice, and civic engagement – values shared by SEIU 1021. The celebration comes just weeks after an attack on marriage equality at the country’s capital, where conservatives have asked the Supreme Court to review the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. 

While Sally Buchmann, a member of the SEIU 1021 Lavender Committee, said, “We’re out here to educate queer people about unions and unions about queer people. Everyone needs to be in a union because we have to stop the boss attack, the Trump attack, save our equality, save our unions, help our workers and our unions. We have to keep fighting, we have to keep electing people that support workers, immigrants, and equality. Get people to vote, vote, vote.”

“I think it’s important to show solidarity. I am not a member [of the LGBTQ+ community], but an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. I want to be an ally and I want to help,” said SEIU 1021 member Susan Boeckmann, who works for San Francisco Community College.