This weekend, more than 15,000 people will gather in Downtown Durham for Pride. The LGBTQ Center of Durham is celebrating 10 years of service, creating a lifeline for youth, families, and neighbors who deserve to feel safe and supported. Pride should be a moment of unity and courage.

But this year, Durham County has quietly pulled back. For the first time in years, the County has refused to be a headlining sponsor of Pride. Leaders have offered no explanation, no transparency, and no acknowledgment of what this means to the people they represent. In a political climate where LGBTQ rights are under attack across the nation, silence is not neutrality — it is abandonment.

Sponsorship is not just about writing a check. It is about visibility, leadership, and accountability. When Durham County is listed as a Pride sponsor, it tells LGBTQ residents: you belong here, you are valued, and your safety matters. When the County disappears from that list, it signals that political pressure matters more than people’s lives. That choice has real consequences. It emboldens those who want to erase us and undermines Durham’s reputation as a city of justice and inclusion.

We demand that Commission Chair Nida Allam and the full Durham County Board of Commissioners immediately restore Pride sponsorship and publicly affirm their commitment to the LGBTQ community. That means not only funding Pride but also standing on record with a clear statement: Durham County protects and supports every resident, including LGBTQ residents, without hesitation.

Durham’s leaders must understand this is not optional. Communities are watching. Families are paying attention. If County leadership will not stand up at Pride, when will they? And if they can quietly pull back now, what will they walk away from next?

The people of Durham deserve leaders who are accountable to all of us — not just when it’s easy, but when it counts most. Pride is that moment. Durham County must show up.

Sign if you believe Durham County must restore its Pride sponsorship and be held accountable for standing with LGBTQ residents.

[Photo credit:  Discover Durham]