Presidential Remarks at Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center

June 28, 2024

C-SPAN IS YOUR FUN FILTERED VIEW OF GOVERNMENT. WE'RE FUNDED BY THESE TELEVISION COMPANIES AND MORE. INCLUDING COMCAST. COMCAST IS PARTNERING WITH 1,000 COMMUNITY CENTERS TO CREATE WI-FI-ENABLED 2ISTS 2O STUDENTS CAN GET THE TOOLS THEY NEED FOR ANYTHING. COMCAST, ALONG WITH THESE OTHER TELEVISION PROVIDERS GIVING AWE FRONT ROW SEAT TO DEMOCRACY. PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE AT THE GRAND OPENING OF THE STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT IN NEW YORK CITY. THE PRESIDENT WAS JOINED ON STAGE BY ELTON JOHN. THIS IS 20 MINUTES. WELCOME TO THE STAGE, DR. JILL BIDEN. DRAFT BIDEN: AS A WRITING TEACHER I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE STORIES WE TELL SHAPE OUR WORLD AND THIS MONUMENT AND VISITOR CENTER TELL A STORY THAT WE ALL NEED TO NO MATTER WHO WE ARE. IT TEACHES US THE POWER OF HOPE AND PERSISTENCE. IT INSPIRES US TO WORK HARDER FOR THE WORLD THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE. IT MIND REMINDS US THAT OUR DIFFERENCES ARE PRECIOUS. THIS IS AMERICAN HISTORY AND LIKE SO MANY VICTORIES THAT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY HAS WON THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THIS IS A WORK OF LOVE. DIANA AND MARIE, WITH YOUR HOPE AND DEDICATION, YOU'VE SHOWN US THAT LOVE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS. [APPLAUSE] YOU HAVE THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIP BOTH IN LIFE AND IN YOUR WORK THAT EVERYONE HOPES TO FIND. AND YOU'VE MADE SURE TO KEEP THE DIVERSITY OF THIS COMMUNITY AT THE CENTER OF YOUR WORK. FROM TODAY ON, THE VISITOR CENTER AND MONUMENT WILL TELL OUR NATION'S STORY TO THE TEENAGER WHO COMES HERE AND DISCOVERS HE ISN'T ALONE. THE ACTIVIST WHO WANTS TO SHOW HIS CHILDREN WHAT CAME BEFORE AND ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO LEARN FROM THE WISDOM OF THE PAST AND USE IT TO HELP CHART THE COURSE FOR OUR FUTURE. I'M GRATEFUL TO YOU AND TO PRIDE LIVE FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE. [APPLAUSE] JOE WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTRY AND COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS ONE. [APPLAUSE] THAT'S WHO JOE. IS HE WAKES UP EVERY MORNING THINKING ABOUT HOW HE CAN MAKE THE LIVES OF AMERICANS BETTER. JOE AND I ARE PROUD TO STAND BESIDE YOU TODAY AND EVERY DAY. NOW, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE INCREDIBLE FORCES BEHIND TODAY. DIANA RODRIGUEZ AND AN MARIE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. BIDEN. DIANA AND I ARE SO 2ONORED 2O HAVE 2OU HERE TODAY ALONG WITH ALL OF OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE MADE THIS DAY POSSIBLE AND TO ALL OF YOU, WELCOME TO OUR HOME. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE, OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING OF THE FIRST LGBTQ+ VISITOR CENTER IN THE U.S. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. [APPLAUSE] THIS -- IT'S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE MANNER OR WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE PRIDE 2024 AND THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY OF STONEWALL. WHEN WE LAUNCHED PRIDE LIVE 1 YEARS AGO IT WAS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND TO AFFECT ISSUES FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND ADVANCE TOWARDS EQUALITY. FOR BOTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR STONE WALL CONCERT IN WHICH THE DOORS ARE OPENING AS WE SPEAK AT HUDSON YARD. WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO VALERIE JARRETT. SHE PLANTED THE SEED FOR WHAT HAS BECOME THIS INCREDIBLE LANDMARK. BACK IN 2016 DURING A CASUAL CONVERSATION AT THE DESIGNATION OF THE STONE WALL NATIONAL MONUMENT, SHE SAID NOW WE NEED A VISITOR CENTER. BACK WHEN WE STARTED DISCUSSIONS WITH SHIRLEY MCKINNEY ABOUT TURNING THIS ICONIC PLACE INTO A LANDMARK OF IT OWN. FROM THE IDEA TO THIS, THE POWER OF SUGGESTION IS TRULY REMARKABLE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED DIANA AND I THROUGH THIS PROCESS. TO ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY, YOUR PRESENCE MEANS THE WORLD TO US. WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THE INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY BEHIND US. THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. GOVERNOR AND SENATOR CHRISTIE GILLIBRAND AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FOUNDING PARTNERS WHO WE'LL BE INTRODUCING AND YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THEM LATER. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP. AS WELL AS ALL THOSE WHO STOOD BY THE DESIGNATION IN 2016. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOU SERVING AS A VOICE AND HELPING US MAKE THIS A REALITY. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SUCCESS OUR SINCERE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO OUR DEDICATED BOARD FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS JOURNEY. [APPLAUSE] AND, OF COURSE, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY PARTNER IN PRIDE LIVE AND IN LIFE, DIANA RODRIGUEZ. HERE WITH ME. [CHEERS] SO WHERE DO I BEGIN? YOU'RE REMARKABLE, YOU'RE CARRIAGE USE. YOU DARED US TO CHALLENGE THE NORM AND CHAMPION THE CREATION OF A VISITOR CENTER DESPITE INITIAL SKEPTICISM AND NAYSAYERS. YOU'RE UNWAVERING BELIEF IN THIS PROJECT HAS COME TO PRICE AND STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR VISIT MORE OVER YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW DIANA WELL, HER PREFERENCE IS TO STAY IN THE BACKGROUND. YOUR PASSION, YOUR RESILIENCE INSPIRES ME AND SO MANY MORE. SO -- [APPLAUSE] WE ALSO WANTS TO THANK THE SUPPORTERS AND ALLIES WHO CONTINUES TO STAND UP FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND HELP US SHARE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE STORIES ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND ENABLE EVEN MORE HOPE FOR OUR FUTURE. YOUR HOPE TELLS THE WORLD THAT WE CAN'T BE ERASED. WE REFUSE TO BE INVISIBLE, OUR COMMUNITY STANDS STRONG. THIS EXPERIENCE HAD BEEN A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH OF US TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS. IT'S IN RECOGNITION OF THE REBELS 2HO STARTED THIS JOURNEY 55 YEARS AGO. IT'S ALSO A SYMBOL OF SOLIDARITY WITH LGBTQ YOUTH GROWING UP TODAY WHOLE ALSO ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO COME AND DISCOVER WHAT THE WORLD IS ABOUT. AS CINTIA SANG TO FLOWINGLY, HOME IS A PLACE WHERE LOVE IS FLOWING. TODAY WE CONNECT THE PAST AND PRESENT HERE AT THE STONE WALL MONUMENT AND VISITOR CENTER. AND I KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD A BRIGHT AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR OUR COUNTRY. SO NOW, I HAVE THE HONOR TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHO HAS CHAMPIONED LGBTQ+ EQUALITY AND HAS SPOKEN ON ISSUES LIKE WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION AND THE WELL-BEING OF LGBTQ YOUTH. WHOSE VISION IS TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE WORLD FOR ALL. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, JOE BIDEN. [APPLAUSE] ♪ SECRETARY. HELLO, HELLO, HELLO. THANK YOU. HELLO, EVERYONE. HAPPY PRIDE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. IT IS YOUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER IN YOUR VISION THAT BROUGHT THIS TO LIFE. AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I WAS TOLD THE GOVERNOR MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE HERE. WHERE IS SHE? OH, THERE YOU ARE. IS SENATOR GILLIBRAND HERE? THAT'S A BIG DEAL. [APPLAUSE] SHE'S THE BEST. . SHE'S A FIGHTER. [APPLAUSE] I CAN SEE HER SITTING IN FRONT OF ME, ONE OF THE PROUDEST APPOINTMENTS TO THIS CABINET I HAVE MADE, INTERIOR SECRETARY DEB HAALAND. AND MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. JILL JUST TALKED ABOUT THE POWER OF STORIES. 55 YEARS AGO TODAY ON THIS HALLOWED GROUND, THE STORY OF OUR NATION UNFOLDED. THE SOUL OF THE NATION WAS TESTED. THAT'S NOT HYPERBOLE. THE MOVEMENT WAS IGNITED. THE COURSE OF HISTORY HAS CHANGED FOREVER. I TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD. THEY LOOKED TO US. THIS BELOVED BAR BECAME THE SITE OF A CRY FOR FREEDOM. NATIONAL PARKS. AND IT MATTERS. IT MATTERED. WE REMAIN IN A BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA. PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS KIDDING WHEN I FIRST SAID THAT AND I AM NOT GOOD I LOOK AROUND AT THE PRIDE AND HOPE IN ALL OF YOU AND I KNOW IT'S A BATTLE WE ARE GOING TO WIN AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS. LGBTQ+ PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE MOST INSPIRING I KNOW AND OF COURSE THE COURAGE. I TALKED TO A LOT OF YOUNGER LGBTQ PEOPLE IN THEIR TEENS AND 20'S AND I REMIND THEM YOU TOOK YOUR LIFE IN YOUR OWN HANDS LITERALLY. YOU TOOK YOUR JOBS IN YOUR OWN HANDS. YOU WERE PUT IN A POSITION WHERE THERE WAS MUCH TO LOSE AND YOU STILL DID IT. MY DAD WAS DROPPING ME OFF TO GET A LICENSE TO BE A LIFEGUARD IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE AT A SWIMMING POOL AND I GOT OUT OF THE CAR IN RODNI SQUARE. THAT'S WHERE THE DUPONT BUILDING WAS AND THE HERCULES CORPORATION. TWO WELL-DRESSED MEN WERE KISSING EACH OTHER AND I HAD NOT SEEN IT WORK. I LOOKED AT MY DAD. I WAS 16 YEARS OLD. HE SAID IT'S SIMPLE, JOEY. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. IT'S SIMPLE. [APPLAUSE] HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND YOUR COURAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN RICH EVERY PART OF AMERICAN LIFE. IT SETS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. THAT'S WHAT THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT. TODAY, LET'S REMEMBER WHO WE ARE. WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THERE'S NOTHING BEYOND OUR CAPACITY TO WORK TOGETHER AND EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT NO BETTER THEIR BACKGROUND -- NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND, PERIOD, PERIOD, PERIOD. [APPLAUSE] I WANT TO SAY MORE BUT THERE'S A GUY YOU PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT, A DEAR FRIEND. AND OF COURSE HIS INCREDIBLE MUSIC CAREER EMPOWERING COUNTLESS PEOPLE. INCLUDING THOSE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND AIDS, A FIGHT HE LED WITH WILLPOWER. JILL AND I HAD THE HONOR TO HOST HIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND BESTOW ON HIM THE NATIONAL HUMANITIES MEDAL, ONE OF AMERICA'S HIGHEST AWARDS. WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE WITH HIM AGAIN HERE AT STONEWALL. PLEASE WELCOME ELTON JOHN. [APPLAUSE] ♪ HELLO, GREENWICH VILLAGE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT AND DR. BIDEN, FOR YOUR KIND INTRODUCTION FOR DECLARING STONEWALL TO BE A NATIONAL MONUMENT AND FOR YOUR EMPOWERING WORDS FOR OUR LGBTQ+ BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THOSE HERE WITH US TODAY AND THOSE LISTENING ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD. I CAN SAY AS A PROUD ENGLISH GAY MAN THIS IS ONE OF MY PROUD -- ONE OF THE BIGGEST HONORS OF MY LIFE TO BE HERE TODAY. [APPLAUSE] HAVING WATCHED WHAT TOOK PLACE 55 YEARS AGO, THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING OUR PLACE AS EQUAL VALUED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AND FOR TAKING CONCRETE ACTION TO MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER. TODAY, WE JOIN FORCES TO CELEBRATE THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE TOGETHER AND REMEMBER THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY IS AN ONGOING ONE. 55 YEARS AGO IN THIS SACRED SPOT OF THE STONEWALL UPRISING, GAY ACTIVISTS STOOD STRONG AT -- STRONG AND IGNITED A MOVEMENT THAT HAS CHANGED HISTORY FOR THE BETTER. I AM GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY WITH MY HUSBAND DAVID. SENDING LOVE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL TWO SONS IN PART BECAUSE THE CHRISTMAS TREE COMMUNITY ROSE UP AND TOOK THE BOLD STAND. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] YES. YES. NOW THANKS TO THE VISION OF PRIDE LIVE AND THE QUEER WOMEN OF COLOR BEHIND PRIDE LIVE. DIANA RODRIGUEZ AND ANNE-MARIE GOTTARD. STONEWALL SERVES AS A NATIONAL MONUMENT WHERE GENERATIONS TO COME WILL LEARN THE IMPORTANT LESSONS OF THIS ESSENTIAL HISTORY SO THAT WE DO NOT REPEAT IT BECAUSE THE JOB IS NOT DONE. OVER 540 ANTI- LGBTQ+ BILLS WERE INTRODUCED IN STATE LEGISLATURES ACROSS AMERICA THIS YEAR. DISGRACEFUL. AND DISCRIMINATION AND CRIMINALIZATION THREATEN THE OF -- THE LIVES OF OUR LGBTQ+ FAMILY FROM KINGSTON TO CAMPALA. ALONG WITH OUR ALLIES, WE FIGHT THESE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AROUND THE WORLD AS WE SEEK TO OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS AND FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD. AND AS PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS REMINDED US, TODAY WE FACE ONE OF THOSE SEMINAL MOMENTS. DO WE STAND UP FOR OUR VISION AND VALUES OR THAT -- OR LET MISINFORMATION AND SENSELESS SCAPEGOATING TURN BACK THE CLOCK? NO FUCKING WAY. [APPLAUSE] NO. IN THIS MOMENT, WE MUST TAKE PRIDE AND FIGHT ON. LET US HONOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO HAVE JOURNEYED FOR JUSTICE AND COMMIT AS I DO AS LONG AS I'M STILL STANDING TO CONTINUE TO STAND WITH YOU AS WE TOGETHER CREATE A BETTER, FAIRER AND MORE JUST WORLD FOR US ALL. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT AND HAPPY PRIDE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GOOD JOB, MAN. [APPLAUSE]