Dear Friends,
It feels strange to wish people a “Happy Pride Month” given everything happening in our industry and within the LGBTQ+ community, yet we still have so much to celebrate and so much to look forward to this year. Not the least of which is NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists’ 35th Annual Convention, taking place September 10–13, 2026, in San Francisco.
This conference honors how far we’ve come since our founder, Roy Aarons, stood before the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1990, publicly came out, and announced his intention to form an association for queer journalists. For many of us, that moment lives within our own memory; for others, it has become part of our shared history. As we celebrate it, I want to remind you that as journalists, we have been here—steadfastly—reporting fairly and accurately on every milestone that has shaped our community since.
NLGJA members fought for domestic partnership benefits in the workplace in the 1990s, even as they mourned the loss of loved ones and friends who lost their lives to HIV and AIDS. We turned those losses into coverage of life‑sustaining treatments that ultimately led to PrEP becoming widely available. In the 2000s, LGBTQ+ journalists were on the front lines reporting on marriage equality, helping everyday Americans understand that “Love is Love” and that our love matters. Over the last decade, we have been a leading voice across media demanding equity in coverage of the transgender community, defending the need for truthful, respectful, and accurate reporting.
Whether you are in your first job, searching for a new one, or approaching the end of your career, your work matters. It matters to me. It matters to our community. And it will matter to the generations of journalists who follow you.
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists will continue to push forward in our mission—advancing fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ+ communities and issues, and promoting diverse, inclusive workplaces by holding the industry accountable. For more than three decades, NLGJA has stood up for you in moments of celebration and in moments of challenge, and it will continue to do so for generations to come.
One of the ways you can help NLGJA continue in this work is by joining me and your colleagues across the country in making a donation for our Pride Month fundraising campaign, Give OUT Day, on June 4. Your gift is an investment in the future of our community and our ability to fight for another 35 years. Every dollar makes a real difference.
So, this year, if saying “Happy Pride” feels difficult, think about the road we’ve traveled, the victories we’ve earned, and the resilience that has carried us forward. Celebrate yourself, and celebrate all the journalists who have stood up for you and for our community since 1990. Our track record is strong; when we inform our readers, listeners, and viewers with facts and accurate representation, it makes a difference.
Happy Pride Month to each and every one of you, and thank you for doing the work that allows us all to live openly and authentically.
In solidarity,
Ken Miguel
National Board President
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists