Orinda Council will raise pride flag annually in June after proclamation and public comment

The Orinda City Council voted unanimously on May 20 to declare June 2025 LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and to raise the rainbow pride flag annually each June, following public testimony and a staff description of a new administrative regulation on flag displays.

Mayor Letheka Mulkani presented a proclamation recognizing June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in Orinda and invited community members and the council to participate in a ceremonial flag-raising. The city manager told the council that a recently adopted administrative regulation on outdoor flag display allows commemorative flags to be authorized by the city council as a municipal expression.

“June has become a symbolic month in which lesbian women, gay men, bisexual people, transgender, queer questioning, intersex, and asexual people and supporters come together in various celebrations of pride,” the mayor read when presenting the proclamation. The proclamation concludes by declaring June 2025 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the City of Orinda and inviting residents to reflect on mutual respect and understanding.

Hen (last name given as Henking in the record), identified in public comment as a PFLAG Lamorinda volunteer and a transgender parent and small-business owner, spoke in support of the proclamation. “You count, you belong, and you are needed,” Hen said to the council, describing why local visibility and inclusive community policies matter for LGBTQIA+ residents.

Council members noted the volume of public input the city received on the proclamation and flagged broad community support. “The number of emails and comments we got about pride month equals anything, any topic I have ever seen here in Orinda,” Council Member Gee said. Council members said they preferred not to require annual council reauthorization and moved to adopt an ongoing annual display during June.

The council also discussed a ceremonial element and instructed staff to coordinate a flag-raising event; the city manager offered to assist with a June ceremony and logistics. Staff noted the city had received four written public comments on the item, all included in the meeting packet.

Council action: the body approved the proclamation and by motion voted to raise the pride flag annually during the month of June; the motion passed unanimously. The council did not record individual roll-call tallies during the voice vote.

What happens next: staff will arrange the flag display under the city's administrative regulation on outdoor flag display and coordinate a ceremonial flag-raising event in early June subject to scheduling and available staff resources.