Pride Month is often filled with colorful celebrations, joyful gatherings, and moments of community. This year, it also became a reminder of the power of allyship as actress Julia Roberts and former Vice President Kamala Harris each made appearances that resonated deeply with LGBTQ+ people across the United States.
While their appearances took place in very different settings, both Roberts and Harris used their presence to recognize, celebrate, and support the LGBTQ+ community during a month dedicated to visibility, equality, and pride.
Roberts Helps Honor Renee Nicole Good
One of the most moving moments of the month came during RISE UP, SING OUT: A CONCERT FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT, held on June 14. According to Broadway World, the event was created as “an uplifting evening of song, solidarity, and action to celebrate the freedoms guaranteed by our First Amendment and serve as a moment for people around the country to stand in unity against the authoritarian shifts threatening our democracy today.”
The concert brought together a remarkable group of artists, activists, and public figures. Alongside actress Jane Fonda, founder of the Committee for the First Amendment, attendees included Bette Midler, Tessa Thompson, Rufus Wainwright, Sasha Allen, Robert De Niro, and Julia Roberts.
The evening also paid tribute to Renee Nicole Good, a writer, wife, and queer mother of three. In January, Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent near her home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident sparked nationwide protests and renewed conversations about accountability and justice.
RELATED: The Winter of Love: When Marriage Equality Came to San Francisco
A Powerful Tribute Through Words
Roberts delivered one of the night’s most memorable speeches while honoring Good’s life and legacy.
“Renee Nicole Good is not a symbol,” Roberts said. “She is an American woman, a queer woman who was doing the very best she could do to be good in an unjust world.” The actress continued, “I am honored to celebrate her life and her legacy tonight, because the life she gave is our responsibility to carry.”
Julia Roberts makes an appearance at “Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert for the First Amendment” in NYC. (🎥: jpasc24) pic.twitter.com/qqcLOVlL5p
— ExtraTV (@extratv) June 15, 2026
Roberts also read a poem written by Amanda Gorman, the first U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate, dedicated to Good. One particularly moving section read:
“Change is only possible,
& all the greater,
When the labour
& bitter anger of our neighbors
Is moved by the love
& better angels of our nature.”
The tribute served as a reminder of the impact that storytelling, art, and public advocacy can have in preserving memories and inspiring collective action.
Julia Roberts: We all feel like, “I can’t turn the news on. I don’t want to hear it.” But we have to hear it. We have to face it. But if we keep inhaling and exhaling, we will prevail. pic.twitter.com/M2AP6476ri
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 15, 2026
Kamala Harris Makes a Surprise Pride Appearance
Elsewhere during Pride Month, Kamala Harris delighted members of the LGBTQ+ community with an unexpected visit to The Abbey in Los Angeles. Accompanied by her husband, Harris reportedly stopped by simply to celebrate Pride and connect with attendees.
NEW: More of @KamalaHarris and @DouglasEmhoff at The Abbey, a historic gay bar in West Hollywood, for Pride Month today!!
The way she says “Happy Pride!!” to EVERY person she greets 🥹🏳️🌈
🎥: matthewbaronphoto pic.twitter.com/4T9CoQ4DsT
— lindsay 🙈🏳️🌈 (@virtueemoir29) June 14, 2026
The appearance was widely welcomed by LGBTQ+ supporters who have long viewed Harris as a consistent ally.
“We love you!!”@KamalaHarris: “We love each other!!!”
📍The Abbey, WeHo
🥹🏳️🌈
🎥: joshazevedo_ pic.twitter.com/Gb1THNXOuG
— lindsay 🙈🏳️🌈 (@virtueemoir29) June 14, 2026
A Long History of LGBTQ+ Support
For many in the community, Harris’ Pride visit was another chapter in a long history of advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Long before marriage equality became the law of the land, Harris publicly supported same-sex couples seeking legal recognition.
During San Francisco’s historic “Winter of Love,” Harris was among the first public officials in the United States to perform same-sex unions. In a moment that remains meaningful for many LGBTQ+ Americans, she reportedly instructed state clerks to recognize marriage equality when two men approached to legalize their marriage.
“You must start the marriages immediately,” she said with a smile, before adding, “It’s going to be fun.”
Those words would become part of a larger movement that ultimately helped transform LGBTQ+ rights across the country.
BREAKING: In a newly resurfaced clip, then Attorney General Kamala Harris orders California State Clerk to recognize marriage equality in California. Kamala Harris has always been for the people. Retweet so all Americans see this powerful video.pic.twitter.com/1Ctzi9mCsW
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) July 22, 2024
Pride’s Message of Visibility and Solidarity
The appearances of Roberts and Harris offered two different but equally meaningful examples of allyship during Pride Month. One used a public stage to honor the life of a queer mother and amplify a call for justice. The other stepped into a Pride celebration to share a moment of joy, connection, and support.
Together, their actions reflected one of Pride’s enduring messages: that visibility matters, solidarity matters, and showing up for LGBTQ+ people can make a lasting impact. In a month dedicated to celebrating identity and community, both women reminded many why allies continue to play an important role in the ongoing pursuit of equality and dignity for all.