From Pete Buttigieg to Dana Nessel: Michigan’s best and brightest lit up the White House lawn

Michigan was well represented at the 2024 Pride celebration on the South Lawn of the White House, although the state’s invited legislators were absent as they remained in town and worked under pressure to get the annual budget in order. Queer and allied Michiganders from across the state made the trip to participate in the festivities.

Chairman of Motor City Pride Dave Waitwho attended with his husband, told Pride Source the event was an unforgettable experience. “It was inspiring to see the White House’s strong commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusion during Pride Month,” he said. “It was a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and how important it is to fight for equality and acceptance.”

Participant Erin Quetell, Oakland County Chief Environmental Sustainability Officer, who was present along with the Oakland County Executive David Coultersaid she was last in Washington, DC, in 2009 for the National Equality March. “That experience of demonstrating for basic rights and standing on the White House lawn celebrating Pride Day was very moving,” she recalled. “I couldn’t help but feel honored and appreciated as I looked up at the rainbow columns of the White House. I am optimistic that we changemakers will continue to advocate and fight for justice and equality for all.”

Secretary of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and Hazel Park City Council member Lukas Londo said the experience was one of the most empowering of his life. “Hosting Pride in the place that embodies the power of the presidency and our entire system of government conveyed a recognition of the civil rights and inherent dignity of the LGBTQ+ community in a way that no other event or proclamation could,” he said. “When First Lady Dr. Jill Biden told attendees, ‘This is your home too,’ it embodied the principle of the White House as ‘The People’s House’ in a way that felt tangible and real to me for the first time. The sense of community among attendees with our shared identities and similar struggles as they looked up at the White House pillars adorned in the Pride colors is honestly something I will always cherish.”

“At one point during the celebration, I FaceTimed with my wife and best ally Madelyn, who was with our 21-month-old son,” Londo added. “It felt like we were all there together in what I can only describe as one of the greatest experiences of my life. She has supported me in all of my endeavors, especially with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and the Hazel Park City Council, and none of what I have accomplished would have been possible without her and others by my side.”

President of Fair Michigan and Plymouth City Councilor Alanna Maguirewho attended with her wife, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, said she was honored to be part of the Pride event. “It was a joyous occasion, as all Prides are, because Pride is essentially a celebration of love and freedom of expression,” she said. “Seeing the White House pillars striped in rainbow colors from the South Lawn was a very moving experience. Having a president who supports the LGBTQ community is paramount to maintaining and expanding LGBTQ civil rights in this country.”

Also in attendance were Michigan’s favorite U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten, who have a home in Traverse City. The couple took photo after photo with their fans (and perhaps future Buttigieg voters).