Stonewall Street honors the 1969 uprising at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, widely recognized as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. When LGBTQ patrons — including transgender women, drag performers, and queer people of color such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera — resisted a police raid, their courage sparked a global movement for equality and visibility. Stonewall remains a powerful symbol of resistance, trans leadership, and collective liberation.
Gene Compton’s Cafeteria was the site of a historic 1966 uprising where transgender women and queer patrons resisted police harassment in San Francisco. Predating Stonewall by three years, this event represents one of the earliest moments of organized LGBTQ resistance and remains an enduring symbol of transgender resilience.
Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. He served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors until his assassination in November 1978. Milk became a global symbol of LGBTQ political visibility and courage! In 2016, Salt Lake City honored his legacy by renaming a portion of 900 South as Harvey Milk Boulevard. The street's designation reflects a powerful commitment to visibility, inclusion, and recognition of LGBTQ history within Utah.
Marsha P. Johnson was a Black transgender activist and prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. Known for her compassion and courage, she dedicated her life to supporting marginalized LGBTQ individuals, including homeless queer youth. Johnson remains an enduring symbol of liberation, resilience, and joyful activism.
Founded in 1991, the Utah Pride Center has long served as a cornerstone of LGBTQ community life in Utah. Through advocacy, health initiatives, education programs, and cultural events, the Center has supported generations of LGBTQ Utahns and their families. Its work continues to foster visibility, connection, and belonging while strengthening the foundation of LGBTQ life across the state.
Equality Utah is the state’s leading LGBTQ policy advocacy organization, working to advance fairness, nondiscrimination protections, and inclusive legislation. Through education, community engagement, and policy leadership, Equality Utah has played a vital role in strengthening civil rights and promoting equality for LGBTQ Utahns.
Encircle is a Utah-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth and their families through safe spaces, therapy resources, and community programming. By fostering belonging and acceptance, Encircle has become a vital resource helping young people and families build connection and resilience across Utah.
Project Rainbow is a community-driven initiative and major festival sponsor that raises funds through pride flag campaigns and reinvests those funds back into local communities through sponsorships, grants, and support for LGBTQ events and organizations. Their work demonstrates how visibility and community generosity can directly create meaningful change.
Since their inception in 2018, Project Rainbow has granted more than $300,000 to LGBTQ centered programs, events, and services that empower community. In 2026 alone, Project Rainbow has committed more than $9,000 in grants and financial support to programs in Davis County!
Project Rainbow is Davis County Pride's largest festival sponsor! Through a matching-donation-grant, Project Rainbow is currently doubling donations made to Davis County Pride dollar-for-dollar now through our festival (up to $4,000). Learn more here.
Ogden Pride, our friends to the North, is a sister Pride organization serving northern Utah whose collaboration and support have helped strengthen regional LGBTQ community building. This name recognizes the spirit of partnership between Pride organizations working together to expand visibility, celebration, and belonging for LGBTQ people throughout Utah.
SLC Pride, our friends to the South, is LGBTQ Pride organization dedicated to creating inclusive celebrations and welcoming spaces for community connection. As a sister organization, SLC Pride represents the evolving landscape of Pride events in Utah and the collaborative energy driving the state’s modern LGBTQ movement.
Ben Williams is a respected Utah LGBTQ historian and community archivist whose decades of work have preserved the stories and experiences of queer Utahns. By documenting local history that might otherwise have been lost, Williams has ensured that the voices, struggles, and triumphs of LGBTQ individuals remain part of Utah’s collective memory.
Charles Lynn Frost was a Utah writer and LGBTQ figure whose creative work explored identity, authenticity, and self-expression within conservative cultural environments. Through his beloved character Sister Dottie S. Dixon, Frost blended humor, performance, and storytelling to reflect queer experiences and challenge social norms, leaving a lasting imprint on Utah’s LGBTQ cultural history.
Nikki Boyer is a pioneering figure in Utah’s LGBTQ history. During a time when safe spaces were scarce, she helped create vital gathering places for LGBTQ individuals, including managing and part-owning the historic Sun Tavern (now The Sun Trapp) and establishing the lesbian bar Sisters, both of which served as important community hubs. Active during the early gay rights movement and throughout the AIDS epidemic, Boyer’s work provided connection, safety, and visibility for countless individuals.
Mark Lawrence is a Utah LGBTQ advocate whose activism helped shape public conversations around equality, marriage rights, and community visibility. His work reflects the dedication of grassroots leaders who advanced inclusion through persistent advocacy and helped expand understanding of LGBTQ families and rights within Utah. He founded the group Restore Our Humanity and initiated the lawsuit that led to Judge Robert Shelby's 2013 ruling overturning Utah's ban on same-sex marriage.
Michael Aaron, from Sunset, UT in Davis County, is a longtime Utah LGBTQ activist, publisher, and media leader. Aaron is best known as the founder of QSaltLake Magazine, a major LGBTQ news publication serving Utah since 2004. His earlier work in LGBTQ journalism during the late 1980s and 1990s helped elevate community voices and raise awareness of key issues, including coverage and advocacy during the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Connell O’Donovan, from Syracuse, UT in Davis County, is a historian, genealogist, and writer known for documenting LGBTQ history and queer experiences within Utah and Mormon contexts. His research has illuminated stories often overlooked in traditional narratives, helping preserve the rich and complex history of LGBTQ life in the region.
Connell O'Donovan is a founder and the current chair of the Mildred Berryman Institute for LGBTIQ+ Utah History - named to honor Mildred Berryman, a pioneering lesbian sexologist in Salt Lake City during the 1920s and 1930s.
Dakota Wurth serves on the Clearfield City Council and represents a new generation of openly LGBTQ public leadership in Utah. His election marked an important moment for visibility in Davis County, helping break barriers in a historically conservative region and demonstrating that LGBTQ leaders can serve their communities with authenticity, integrity, and dedication.
Glisten, formerly known as GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), is a national organization dedicated to creating safe, inclusive, and affirming school environments for LGBTQ students. Founded in 1990 by educators and advocates, the organization has worked for decades to combat bullying, promote inclusive policies, and empower young people to thrive as their authentic selves.