Pride Live Hosts Moving Grand Opening Ceremony Celebrating the Historic Opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 28: President Joe Biden speaks onstage at the Grand Opening Ceremony for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center hosted by Pride Live at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center on June 28, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, a Program of Pride Live)

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden participated in the ceremony, which featured uplifting performances from Elton John, Cynthia Erivo, Johnny Manuel and Sing Harlem Choir, as well as remarks by Adam Lambert and Katy Perry.

The program included powerful remarks from Visitor Center Co-Founders Ann Marie Gothard and Diana Rodriguez, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, among other officials, and Stonewall Pioneer Mark Segal who delivered inspiring messages to an illustrious group of guests including Michael Kors, Lance Le Pere, Alan Cumming, Neil Patrick Harris and Irina Shayk.

Pride Live held the official grand opening ceremony for the highly anticipated Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) on Friday, June 28. Located at 51 Christopher Street in New York City, the event commemorated the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. This historic unveiling marked the inauguration of the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park Service.

The grand opening ceremony featured a series of heartfelt and emotional performances paying tribute to the monumental occasion. Cynthia Erivo’s soulful rendition of “Home” from The Wiz resonated deeply, capturing the spirit of resilience and pride while Johnny Manuel’s powerful voice, accompanied by the harmonious voices of the Sing Harlem Choir, brought a sense of unity and celebration to the space.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivered remarks, underscoring that the opening of the Visitor Center is a significant moment in American history and a step toward shaping a better future for generations to come.

With an introduction from Katy Perry, the legendary Elton John closed the program with a performance of “Bennie and The Jets,” “I’m Still Standing” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” leaving the audience with a reminder of the progress made and the ongoing fight for full LGBTQIA+ equality.

Ann Marie Gothard, Chair of the Board of Directors for Pride Live and Co-Founder of the SNMVC, spoke passionately about the enduring impact of the Stonewall Rebellion and the importance of preserving its legacy, and Diana Rodriguez, Founder & CEO of Pride Live and Co-Founder of the SNMVC, articulated a vision for a future grounded in equality and justice. Stonewall Pioneer and SNMVC Founding Partner Mark Segal poignantly recounted the events of 1969, connecting past struggles to present victories.

Additional speakers included Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander, Humans Rights Campaign (HRC) President Kelley Robinson, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Google executive Torrence Boone, SNMVC Founding Partner Henry Muñoz III, Alina Torres-Zickler and Kaila Torres-Zickler, and singer songwriter and SNMVC Founding Partner Adam Lambert, as well as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Assembly Member Deborah Glick.

Notable guests in attendance included actor Alan Cumming, actor and comedian Billy Eichner, Australian drag queen Courtney Act, actor Gayle Rankin, model Irina Shayk, actor Jonathan Groff, actor Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, actor Jelani Alladin, actor Erich Bergen, model and influencer Olivia Ponton and artist FEWOCiOUS.

The program concluded with a ceremonial ribbon cutting symbolizing a new chapter of visibility and inclusion, before the doors officially opened to the public.

Serving as an educational resource, the Visitor Center offers an immersive experience featuring a rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ history and culture through a variety of engaging programs, including in-person and virtual tours, informative lecture series, captivating exhibitions, a dedicated theater space, and inspiring visual arts displays. Upon entering, visitors are guided through a multifaceted learning experience that speaks to today’s generations, encouraging them to carry forward the Stonewall legacy and the ongoing fight for full equality. The SNMVC serves as a home base for the dedicated Stonewall National Monument NPS park rangers, who are committed to welcoming all visitors to this site of national significance.

ELTON JOHN, FOUNDER OF THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION:
“Fifty-five years after the Stonewall Uprising, gathering at the iconic 51 Christopher Street in celebration of the first LGBTQ+ visitor center within the National Park Service fills me with joy and hope. Throughout my life, I’ve been inspired by the courageous LGBTQ+ trailblazers whose relentless pursuit of our rights has paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. Yet we must remember that this is not the reality for so many across the globe. The Elton John AIDS Foundation proudly stands with Pride Live in our shared commitment to support the LGBTQ+ community, and we won’t stop until everyone, everywhere is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

ANN MARIE GOTHARD, SNMVC CO-FOUNDER & CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PRIDE LIVE:
“We also want to thank the supporters and allies who continue to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community and help us create opportunities to share stories about our history, and enable even more hope for our future. You help us tell the world that we can’t be erased. We refuse to be invisible. Our community stands strong. This experience has been a tremendous opportunity for both of us to give back to a community that has given us so much over the years. It is recognition of the rebels who started this journey 55 years ago. It’s also a symbol of solidarity with LGBTQ+ youth growing up today who will always have a place they can come to and discover what our community is all about. As Cynthia Erivo sang so beautifully, home is a place where there’s love overflowing. So, we offer this gift to all generations of queer people: a home away from home. Today we connect the past and present here at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. And together with all of you, I know we will continue to build a bright and equitable future for our community.”

ADAM LAMBERT, SNMVC FOUNDING PARTNER:
“As queer people, coming from all walks of life from all corners of the world, the most empowering thing we can do is find each other, come together and discover who we are through the shared knowledge of our hard-fought history. A history that has too often, and for too long, been erased. Well, let me just say, that is not the tea anymore. I don’t mean to sound cliché, but knowledge is power, and there is strength in numbers. This visitor center is a huge step for our community toward making the journey of self discovery more accessible to so many people over so many years to come… and that absolutely includes our allies, as well. The more the merrier.”

KATY PERRY:
“During this powerful ceremony we’ve been talking about the historic rebellion, and the daunting fight for equal rights…but I want to take a moment to talk about love. With the new Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, Pride Live has created a destination full of love, to honor a community that deserves so much respect. I grew up in a very religious household that was not accepting. But when I left home, I made friends who were strong, creative, determined, authentic…and queer. I adored them! And I was so grateful to them for opening up my mind and my heart, and encouraging me to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community. That’s what the Visitor Center will do: share the stories and create the hope that sustains us. It’s especially important for LGBTQ+ youth to see the shoulders they stand on and the change they can make. So, congratulations to fierce female founders Diana and Ann Marie, and everyone at Pride Live who put so much heart and soul into creating this landmark. And thank you to all the LGBTQ+ artists and activists who motivate us to make our world better, safer, more kind and more just.”

MARK SEGAL, STONEWALL PIONEER & SNMVC FOUNDING PARTNER
“For 55 years now, since I was 18 years old, this building has been a part of my life. I left Philadelphia at 18, because we as a community were invisible. We were so invisible that for me, growing up in a city of 1.6 million people, I thought I was the only gay person. We had to find each other through word of mouth. That word of mouth led me from Philadelphia to Christopher Street, it led me to Stonewall and led me to that infamous night 55 years ago today. On this Street, police might harass you, you could be a victim of a hate crime. But inside Stonewall, an illegal dirty bar that sold watered down drinks, we were safe to be ourselves. This was the only place we could hold hands and dance. Then on June 28th, 1969, police barged in, they threw people around and dehumanized us in a way I’d never seen. When they allowed us to leave, many of us started to gather, and we taunted the police. Drag queens, street kids and young activists threw everything they could find at those doors, so much so that the police had no choice but to take refuge inside. For years the police had incarcerated us, for the first time, that night, we incarcerated them. The spirit of Stonewall united us and allowed us to build a community where there was none before. We asked our community to be Out, Loud and Proud. Over the past 55 years our community has fought for rights that seemed inconceivable in 1969. I’m proud to have been a part of that movement.”

Admission to the SNMVC is free for all visitors, and reservations can be made here.

To learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, please visit https://stonewallvisitorcenter.org/ and nps.gov/ston and follow their social media channels.

• Instagram: @STONEWALLVISCTR
• Twitter: @STONEWALLVISCTR
• Facebook: @STONEWALLVISCTR
• TikTok: @STONEWALLVISCTR
• Hashtag: #MeetUsAtTheMonument

ABOUT PRIDE LIVE
Founded in 2012, Pride Live is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to accelerating awareness and support for the LGBTQIA+ community via social advocacy and community engagement to advance the fight for full equality. From working with the most marginalized and underrepresented organizations, to supporting the effort leading up to the declaration of Stonewall National Monument, and to conceptualizing and developing Stonewall Day, a benefit concert to elevate and boost awareness of the Stonewall rebellion and LGBTQIA+ activism – Pride Live works in service of the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Pride Live visit www.pridelive.org.

ABOUT STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT VISITOR CENTER
The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC), a program of Pride Live, is the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park Service (NPS). Located at 51 Christopher Street, the SNMVC opened on June 28, 2024, marking the 55th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Rebellion that ignited the fight for full LGBTQIA+ equality. The Visitor Center functions as an educational resource, welcoming individuals into an immersive experience through in-person and virtual tours, lecture series, exhibitions, and visual arts displays. Serving as a beacon for future generations, the SNMVC was founded by two Queer women of color, Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard, and aims to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Stonewall. To learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, please visit https://stonewallvisitorcenter.org/.