Today, Christopher Street West Association announces its trio of grand marshals to be celebrated at the LA Pride Parade on Sunday, June 11 taking place at its original historic location in Hollywood. This year’s LA Pride Parade grand marshals include comedian, actor and activist Margaret Cho as the Icon Grand Marshal, an individual who needs no introduction and achieved major milestones within their career and industry; a posthumous tribute to Emmy-winner Leslie Jordan as the Legacy Grand Marshal, a new title this year in honor of Jordan for his everlasting impact on the community; and the ACLU of Southern California, that helped CSW obtain the permit for the first LA Pride parade, as the Community Grand Marshal, which celebrates a group or individual who has had a powerful influence through their work and dedication to and for the LGBTQ community.
“I’m thrilled and incredibly honored to be the Icon Grand Marshal,” said Cho. “We need this Pride more than ever. I have been attending Pride celebrations since 1978 and this time around the need to celebrate as well as unite is more urgent than it has ever been. Our love is greater than their hate.
“On behalf of Leslie Jordan, we are overjoyed by Christopher Street West’s heartfelt recognition to name Leslie as LA Pride’s Legacy Grand Marshal,” said Jana “Cricket” Jordan. “This honor further solidifies the positive impact he made in the world, but more importantly for the LGBTQ+ community. His spirit continues to bring love and light.”
“For a century, we’ve been on the front lines fighting for people to be their true, authentic selves,” said Hector Villagra, executive director of the ACLU SoCal. “We're honored to be the Community Grand Marshal and proud to love, live among, and protect LGBTQ Californians.”
“Christopher Street West is honored and humbled by this year’s three grand marshals,” said Gerald Garth, president of CSW. “Each have contributed to the LGBTQ+ community in their own unique ways, furthering our fight for acceptance, equality, and justice.”
Multi-hyphenate artisan and activist Margaret Cho is a five-time GRAMMY and Emmy nominee. Cho staunchly supports the causes that are important to her: anti-racism, anti-bullying, gay rights, all while fulfilling her successful creative side with a legendary stand-up career that has yielded 10-plus comedy tours. Her recent television appearances include Season 2 of The Flight Attendant (HBO Max), Season 2 of Hacks (HBO Max), and two Netflix is a Joke comedy specials: Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration and Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live. Her most recent feature film role includes the well-reviewed Fire Island.
Leslie Jordan was one of the most consistently recognizable faces in popular entertainment. His journey towards stardom provided one of the quirkier, impressive, and varied career trajectories of the past few decades. Through it all, Jordan remained constant, relevant and – above all – funny! His ability to take it all in stride kept him moving onward, upward but never straight. Jordan received an Emmy in 2006 for his role in Will & Grace and was most recently seen on Fox's comedy series “Call Me Kat”. He conquered the international stage and remained an in-demand mainstay as a performer, voice-over artist, fundraiser, spokesperson, out artist, equal rights activist, and all-around Southern Baptist celebutante.
The ACLU Foundation of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) works to defend the civil liberties of all people as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights through litigation, policy advocacy, media advocacy, and organizing. Founded in 1923, the ACLU SoCal is one of the largest affiliates in the country with over 100 staff members across the southland. For 100 years, the ACLU SoCal has fought to expand and protect the civil rights of all people — women, youth, people of color, LGBTQ people, immigrants and refugees, members of minority religions, disabled people, people experiencing poverty or houselessness, and people who are incarcerated. In 1970, the ACLU SoCal joined CSW in a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Commissioner to obtain a parade permit to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. The case was won in California Supreme Court, enabling CSW to hold the first permitted gay parade in the world.