Still, They Resisted presentation on June 4

On June 4, 2025, more than 40 members of the community attended "Still, They Resisted," a powerful and affirming presentation brought to Erie by UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor.

Before the presentation, the LGBT Fund held a gathering for attendees to chat with one another and share thoughts on advancing the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Erie region. Facilitated by Pittsburgh's Persad Center, "Still, They Resisted" chronicles the history of the LGBTQ+ movement and highlights unsung heroes of the movement, like:

• Perry Watkins, who fought back after being dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army for being gay-and took his case all the way to the Supreme Court.
• Brenda Howard, the "Mother of Pride," who organized the first-ever gay pride march in New York City to mark the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riot in 1970.
• Aaron Fricke, who sued in the landmark case of Fricke v. Lynch for the right to take a same-sex date to his high school prom and won.