Among all of the other things that I am involved with, I am a board member for our school’s Pride Medical Alliance, a group comprised of National’s LGBTQ community and allies. We have all sorts of events going on this month, such as “Be an Ally” week, tie-dying shirts, and marching in two different Pride parades alongside the Open Door organization.

During “Be an Ally” week, students and faculty were invited to make safe zone pins to wear, showing that they are a safe space for all people. Our table had information available on LGBTQ vocabulary and definitions, as well as tips on how to show your support. We felt that this was an important thing for us to share with our peers so that as doctors, we can help future patients from this community feel comfortable coming to us for care.

This year especially, June is a big month for the LGBTQ community; it is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and the first ever pride parade organized by the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. Thinking of the progress that has been made just in my lifetime is amazing!

This was the second year that we joined up with Open Door; the organization is excellent, providing physical and mental health care services along with free STD testing to the LGBT patients. Our club can now say that we participated in the first two Aurora Pride Parades. Being involved in this event makes it feel like we are a part of history as it’s being made! My kiddos came along this year and had a blast handing out candy and making new friends. We will be in Chicago at the end of the month to be a part of what we expect to be a huge celebration. If you are interested in being a part of the celebration or any of our other events, like our group “Pride Medical Alliance” on Facebook.