Message from the Office of the President: Celebrate Pride

Dear students, faculty and staff,

A half century ago, Jean Tretter and friends organized the first Twin Cities commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising. Around the same time, Tretter also began to collect materials, which grew into the largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender archival repository in the Upper Midwest known as the U of M Libraries Tretter Collection. As Tretter explained, “It’s important we create a historical legacy to pass along to future generations…I would like to have a part in giving Gays and Lesbians of the future something similar to hold on to.”

As we recognize this important 50-year marker, which coincides with Pride Month, we are thankful to those who continue Tretter’s legacy. This year, Tretter is being recognized as the 2022 Legacy Grand Marshal of the Twin Cities Pride Festival. We invite you to stop by the U of M booth this weekend at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Loring Park for games, photo opportunities, and prizes. Our Alumni Pride Network is hosting an Alumni Meetup at Twin Cities Pride on Saturday at 2 p.m. The U of M Marching Band, the Pride of Minnesota, will make an appearance in the Pride Parade on Sunday at 11 a.m.

You can learn about Pride celebrations happening throughout Minnesota, including the Duluth-Superior Pride Festival, on the U of M Pride page. Here you’ll also find information about how the University of Minnesota offers advocacy and support for LGBTQIA+ students, faculty, staff, and community members, including world-renowned academic and research opportunities; open and inclusive spaces; transgender-affirming health care; and events featuring local and national LGBTQIA+ luminaries.

I hope you will join me and our University community in celebrating our Pride this month and every month.

With best wishes,
Joan Gabel