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Madison Common Council proclaims Arbor Week and Transgender Day of Visibility
Summary
The Common Council unanimously adopted resolutions proclaiming April 20–26, 2026 as Arbor Week and March 31, 2026 as Transgender Day of Visibility. City forestry and LGBTQ+ advocates accepted the proclamations and speakers urged continued local support amid state and federal attacks on transgender health care.
The Madison Common Council on March 24 adopted two ceremonial resolutions recognizing urban trees and transgender people.
Alder Ver read Legistar 92288 proclaiming April 20–26, 2026 as Arbor Week; Craig Clinky of city forestry accepted the resolution and thanked the council for long-running support that helped Madison qualify as a Tree City USA for 36 years. "Madison has a long tradition of being a community that recognizes the importance of urban trees," Clinky said.
The council then adopted Legistar 92334 declaring March 31, 2026 Transgender Day of Visibility. Becca Bedell of Outreach—who identified their pronouns as they/she and described their role as outreach basic-needs advocate—thanked the council and described the day as a counterbalance to Trans Day of Remembrance: "Visibility alone is not enough to give us safety and liberation when it does not also come with protection," Bedell said.
Multiple council members spoke in support. Alder Glenn recounted a personal reason for supporting the resolution; Alder Martinez Rutherford urged continued local efforts in the face of recent court rulings and legislative actions targeting transgender health and civil participation, calling recent developments "a red flag" for the community.
Both resolutions were moved and seconded and recorded as unanimous votes.
The proclamations are ceremonial; the council did not adopt new regulatory measures as part of these items. Outreach announced upcoming community events (a Transjoy Festival on May 16 and a Magic Pride Festival on Aug. 16) and city forestry representatives accepted the Arbor Week proclamation on behalf of tree advocates.
