Together We Will Reach More People with Impact of Stonewall and Inclusive Stories Told Within our Parks
New York, N.Y.– Today the National Parks Conservation Associations (NPCA) announced their partnership with LGBTQ+ activist, author and Stonewall Uprising participant Mark Segal as the organization’s Ambassador for Change. Segal’s first-hand experience shows how powerful our voices are when we work towards change, and speak up for causes we believe in. This collaboration comes at a critical time when sites within our National Park System are attempting to erase history that includes people and places related to LGBTQ+ contributions including at Stonewall National Monument. Together NPCA and Segal will share the Stonewall story and its impact on American society with more people through public engagement, education and events throughout the year. Stonewall National Monument is not only a place that changed our history for the better, its national significance and influence on American society continues to resonate and inspire today.
“We are proud to partner with Mark Segal whose personal experiences at Stonewall led to successful equality and civil rights reforms that inspire and benefit us today,” said Timothy Leonard, Northeast Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association. “The power of Stonewall’s story remains as meaningful today as it was more than 55 years ago. We are thrilled to work alongside Mark who embodies the American ideals our parks represent. Together we will work to ensure our parks continue to include diverse, inclusive stories that are welcoming for all and celebrate the contributions of those that came before us.”
Segal is a pioneering figure in LGBTQ+ activism, known for his involvement in the Stonewall uprising. Inspired to action, Mr. Segal utilized sidewalk chalk to organize participants around the six-day uprising writing, “tomorrow night Stonewall” on the streets and sidewalks surrounding the present-day national park site. Mr. Segal is a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and has dedicated his life’s work to equal rights and representation from championing fair pay to housing and healthcare for LGBTQ+ communities.
“As someone who has personally fought in the battle for LGBTQ+ visibility for 55 years, I will not allow that history to be erased or rewritten at will,” said Mark Segal, NPCA’s Ambassador for Change. “Stonewall is the place where we began. We were vocal. We were visible and collectively, we changed the course of history. My experience here forever changed me. I’m thrilled to be working with NPCA to ensure more people know this story and that America’s national parks are inclusive in sharing the accurate and important contributions from our community. I welcome all to come to Stonewall and to the visitor center to learn and connect with pioneers that came before them, to feel proud of who they are, and to know they have the power to make a difference.”
Through this work together, and with continued partnerships with groups like the nonprofit Pride Live who built and runs the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, more people will know the power and impact of the Stonewall story. To help accomplish this, Segal shares his first-hand account along with NPCA’s Timothy Leonard speaking to the power of advocacy and the role each of us play in protecting and expanding the stories told within our national parks.
Segal will share his story through several forums including speaking to New York City students, leading panels with influential LGBTQ+ change makers and curating virtual content that lifts up the stories of LGBTQ+ contributions at Stonewall and beyond.
The Stonewall Uprising of 1969 was a watershed moment in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. NPCA worked for years, alongside thousands of advocates and hundreds of partner organizations to pave the way for Stonewall’s inclusion in the National Park System. Following these efforts, Stonewall National Monument was designated in 2016, creating the country’s first national park site dedicated to LGBTQ+ history. NPCA and Segal continue to advocate for federal resources to hire rangers that will bring the Stonewall story to life for current and future generations.
To learn more about our work together, please visit npca.org/stonewall. To plan your visit, go to Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center: stonewallvisitorcenter.org.
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
