NEWS RELEASE – Pride Flags Fly at Hawaiʻi State Capitol as Governor Green Declares June as Pride Month in the State of Hawai‘i

PRIDE FLAGS FLY AT HAWAIʻI STATE CAPITOL AS GOVERNOR GREEN DECLARES

JUNE AS PRIDE MONTH IN THE STATE OF HAWAI'I

HONOLULU - Pride flags will fly at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol throughout June 2026 following Governor Josh Green's proclamation recognizing June as 'Pride Month' in the state of Hawaiʻi.

The display will begin with a sunrise flag-raising ceremony and presentation of the official proclamation on June 1 at 6:45 a.m. at the Capitol. Marking the second consecutive year the flags will be raised, the display honors māhū, LGBTQIA+ and QTPI+ communities and allies across the islands.

"Hawaiʻi has always been a place where people should feel they belong," said Governor Green. "As the Pride flags fly at the State Capitol once again, we recognize the importance of standing with our māhū, LGBTQIA+ and QTPI+ communities and affirming that there is a place for everyone in these islands. Pride Month is about dignity, compassion and making sure every person knows they are valued in Hawaiʻi."

A digital copy of the Proclamation is included with this release; it is embargoed until 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2026.

The initiative is led by the Hawaiʻi State LGBTQ+ Commission in collaboration with Lei Pua ʻAla: Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi and is supported by a broad coalition of community organizations, including civic, educational, health, labor and athletic groups.

"For the second year in a row, the raising of the Pride Flags at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol stands as a powerful reminder that our state recognizes and celebrates the dignity, resilience and contributions of our māhū, LGBTQIA+ and QTPI+ communities," said Hawaiʻi State LGBTQ+ Commission Vice Chair and project lead Michael Golojuch, Jr.,. "Pride is not only a celebration of who we are, but a commitment to continue building a Hawaiʻi where every person can live openly, safely and authentically. As these flags are raised, we also raise our voices in unity, visibility and hope for future generations."

Despite nationwide restrictions on Pride flags at government sites and a federal one-flag policy, Hawaiʻi's Capitol display underscores the state's continued commitment to visibility, inclusion and equality.

"The Pride flag is more than a banner - it is a beacon of hope, solidarity and resilience," said Dean Hamer, Co-Director of the Lei Pua ʻAla project. "Flying it at the Capitol sends a message that in Hawaiʻi, all people are valued and seen."

The display will feature the Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, which incorporates the traditional rainbow design alongside a chevron representing transgender people, communities of color, people impacted by HIV/AIDS and intersex communities. The flags will fly from the eight auxiliary flagpoles lining Beretania Street in front of the Capitol building.

Hawaiʻi has a long history of honoring diversity and inclusion. The state was among the first in the nation to decriminalize same-sex relationships and enact legal protections against discrimination. Hawaiʻi also played a central role in the modern marriage equality movement. Honolulu's first Pride event commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Uprising took place in June 1974. Today, Pride celebrations take place across all four of Hawai'i's counties, with Kauaʻi Pride on June 6, Maui Pride on June 13 and Hawaiʻi Island Pride in Hilo on June 27 during Pride Month. Additional Pride celebrations include Kona Pride on September 19 and Honolulu Pride on October 17.

"It's hard to imagine a more important place for these Pride flags to be seen than in front of the state Capitol, where our rights, hopes and dreams are often discussed and decided," said Lei Pua ʻAla Co-Director Joe Wilson. "Mahalo to Governor Green for this visible sign that folks across the spectrum of gender and sexual diversity are seen and can see themselves as valued and respected here in the islands we call home."

Digital copy of the proclamation can be found here: Pride-Month-Proclamation-digital.pdf

Media Contacts:

Michael Golojuch, Jr. (he/him)

Cell: 808-358-4417

Email: [email protected]

Dean Hamer

Email: [email protected]

Jerron Oyama

Communications Specialist

Department of Human Services

Phone: 808-586-4892

Email: [email protected]

About the Hawai'i State LGBTQ+ Commission:

The Hawaiʻi State LGBTQ+ Commission, established by HRS 369, advances equity, inclusion and opportunity for māhū, LGBTQIA+ and QTPI+ communities by fostering collaboration, advocacy and public awareness.

Website: https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/lgbtq-commission/

About Lei Pua 'Ala Queer Histories of Hawai'i:

Lei Pua 'Ala Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi is a multidimensional educational and community engagement project to document, memorialize and honor gender and sexual diversity across the multicultural landscape of Hawaiʻi.

Website: https://www.queerhistoriesofhawaii.org