About Us

The Land that DC Sits On

It is important to acknowledge that the United States Capital is surrounded by just over a dozen tribal nations that thrive along the Anacostia and Potomac River watersheds, Chesapeake Bay area, and the states of Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. Washington, DC, the land we will gather on for WorldPride DC 2025, and each year for the Capital Pride Celebration, sits on the ancestral lands of the Anacostans (also documented as Pamunkey Indian Tribe Nacotchtank), and over time neighboring the Piscataway and Pamunkey peoples.

The District of Columbia shares borders with Maryland and Virginia, and connects with lands along the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. These river systems and current national parks are where the Piscataway, Pamunkey, the Nentego (Nanichoke), Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan, and the Powhatan cultures thrived. According to the National Park Service, the region “was rich in natural resources and supported the local native people.” Just 40 years after the arrival of the Europeans, there were only a quarter of the original occupants remaining. The indigenous populations were decimated by new diseases and war. Many of the surviving joined other tribes beyond the boundaries of their ancestral lands, moving further inland and encroaching or merging with larger tribes.

We honor and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this territory on which we gather.

Why Washington DC

Washington, DC is a connected capital that provides access to thriving industries including technology, biotech/pharma, transportation, sustainability and advocacy. DC is uniquely positioned to provide much needed visibility to the issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community worldwide, including our freedom. 2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, DC, and we are thrilled to share this momentous and exciting occasion with the world in 2025. Our greatest wish is to inspire our global audience to become changemakers within their own communities, and to help enrich LGBTQ+ lives throughout the world. With our culturally diverse, inclusive, and supportive community, we look forward to making participants from visiting countries feel safe and welcome.

WorldPride 2025 DC Bid Invitation Letter

Washington, DC may be the capital of the United States, but it is also the hometown to many LGBTQ+ residents who have lived and worked here for decades. In fact, the city has the highest LGBTQ+ population percentage in the United States. It is a big city, but a small town. The National Capital Region has long been a melting pot, as people come here from around the United States and around the globe. This diversity gives us the ability to work on issues and solutions from many perspectives. At Capital Pride we have been fortunate to interact with many different people as we celebrate the progress of our LGBTQ+ community and work to further the accomplishments that we have achieved.

While the media’s focus is often on the national and international events that occur in Washington, the day-to-day work that we undertake on behalf of our community empowers individuals in ways that lead them, in turn, to be changemakers and further inspire others to take action. We look forward to sharing that energy in 2025 — the 50th celebration of Pride in Washington, DC — because transformations happen best when we come together, challenge each other, and propel ourselves and our community forward.

The Capital Pride Alliance (CPA) is strongly committed to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. In that regard, we follow the lead of the city in which we reside, which has long been in the forefront on issues that positively impact the LGBTQ+ community and the cause of human rights. Over the past decade, CPA has worked to build bridges and connections through the many segments of our community. In doing so, we have helped raise LGBTQ+ visibility. We want to produce a great celebration that showcases those connections and that visibility and provides ample opportunities to educate and inspire our community to take up the work that lies before us.

We would be thrilled to welcome our friends from around the world if we are fortunate enough to be the host city for World Pride 2025. We are the home to many national and international organizations, and have been the host to national marches for LGBTQ+ rights in 1979, 1987, 1993, and 2000. There is a great deal to explore and we would be excited to share the treasures of our region with all of our friends. We promise to have an unforgettable celebration filled with world-class events that reach throughout our community. CPA has assembled a team with the depth and breadth of experience to be able to produce an outstanding World Pride event that would be a credit to Washington, DC and to InterPride.

Our Mission

The Capital Pride Alliance, through its stewardship of diverse programming and events, specifically year-round LGBTQ+ Pride festivities centered in Washington, DC and the National Capital Region, serves to celebrate, educate, support, and inspire our multi-faceted communities in order to grow and preserve our history and protect our rights for current and future generations.

Our Team

The Capital Pride Alliance fulfills its mission primarily through a volunteer team serving on the Board of Directors, the Production Team, or one of over 300 on-site volunteers with support from a small staff.

Our Timline

Decades of pride in the Nation’s Capital! Timeline of Triumph, Struggle and Resilience