NYC Pride Unveils Full List Of Trailblazing 2025 Grand Marshals
From trans educators to groundbreaking advocates, NYC Pride’s 2025 grand marshals reflect the power and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
Just a day after news spread that former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would be one of this year’s grand marshals, NYC Pride has revealed its full slate of powerful and pioneering LGBTQ+ leaders who will lead the 2025 NYC Pride March. From political firsts to transformative educators and nightlife icons, this year’s honorees embody the resilience and activism at the heart of the community.
Joining Jean-Pierre are drag artist and activist Marti Gould Cummings, Bronx-based advocate Elisa Crespo, DJ Lina Bradford, and Trans formative Schools, an organization uplifting trans youth and educators. Together, they’ll lead one of the largest Pride marches in the world on Sunday, June 29, turning the streets of Manhattan into a living, breathing celebration of queer liberation.
The first Black and openly queer White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre brings not just national recognition but deep personal connection to this year’s march.
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“As a native New Yorker, this moment is deeply personal. It’s more than an honor—it’s a homecoming,” Jean-Pierre said. “New York is where I found my voice, where I stepped into the light, and where I first discovered the strength of community as an openly queer person. Now, at a time when unity is more vital than ever, we march—hand in hand, arm in arm—not just in resistance, but in remembrance, in celebration, and in unshakable pride.”
A leader in politics and nightlife, Marti Gould Cummings made history in 2021 as the first non-binary person to run for public office in NYC and as the first drag performer to moderate a panel at the United Nations.
“Pride is a protest, it began as a riot, and we must hold onto that,” Cummings said. “Trans people are being vilified and eradicated. As grand marshal I am honored and will use this platform in any way that I can to bring awareness to the grave issues impacting the most vulnerable within our community.”
This year, NYC Pride shines a spotlight on youth leadership by honoring Trans formative Schools, a collective of queer and trans educators shaping inclusive, justice-centered spaces for young people. Named Youth Activist Grand Marshals, their involvement sends a powerful message in a time of escalating attacks on trans students nationwide.
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“In a time when trans kids are a target, from your local school board to the White House, Trans formative Schools is honored that our trans students and trans teachers can lead this protest,” said the group’s leadership. “However, we need cisgender people to know that trans visibility isn’t enough—we need everyone to rise up and build a movement that uplifts and invests in trans lives, right now.”
Elisa Crespo, the first trans woman of color to run for office in the Bronx, has turned that momentum into tangible policy wins. As executive director of the Stonewall Community Foundation and former leader at the NEW Pride Agenda, Crespo has fought for funding for trans wellness, pushed for PrEP access, and helped secure New York’s Safe Haven for Trans Youth and Families Act.
Her work continues to drive resources and visibility to those most marginalized in the LGBTQIA+ community.
No NYC Pride would be complete without the pulse of queer nightlife, and few embody that rhythm better than DJ Lina Bradford. A beloved figure since her days with the legendary Club Kids, Bradford has become a symbol of glamour, resilience, and advocacy—particularly for Black trans women.
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“To hear that I was thought of by my community for such a huge honor is something I would’ve never ever imagined growing up,” Bradford said. “I am humbled, honored, blessed and grateful for this opportunity to support and represent my community.”
The 2025 NYC Pride March kicks off at 12:00 PM ET on June 29, winding through Manhattan in a mass display of joy, remembrance, and resistance. This year’s grand marshals reflect a core truth of Pride’s history: the personal is political, and the fight is far from over.
“Our marshals this year remind us that we are stronger when we are united in our fight for equality and liberation,” said NYC Pride Co-Chair Kazz Alexander.
For full event listings and ways to get involved or support, visit nycpride.org.
