Throughout June, Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, will offer a series of essays by Angelenos from different backgrounds to commemorate the 50th anniversary of L.A. Pride.

The series of stories on the councilman’s website spotlights the personal experiences of people during both the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, as well as conversations currently ongoing nationwide about the fight against racism and solidarity.

“Pride 2020 is unfolding at a momentous time in our lives,” O’Farrell said. “We are commemorating the event with a series of essays and other forms of literary storytelling that share personal experiences of identity, pandemics and the origins of protest that made the LGBTQ movement possible.”

This year’s L.A. Pride programming is being held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an essay launching the series titled “Pride, Pandemic, and Protest,” O’Farrell discusses the historic importance of the 50th anniversary of L.A. Pride, shares stories about his experiences as a gay man and illustrates similarities in the fight for equality and justice that have occurred during the past 50 years. For information, visit bit.ly/3dId3ka.