Gill Foundation Pledges $250K To Protect Stonewall Inn

Just in via press release:

The Gill Foundation today announced it will match contributions up to $250,000 to protect the Stonewall Inn, which is on the brink of closure due to the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis. The support will be earmarked to support rent and utility costs.

In addition to its $250,000 pledge to protect the legacy of Stonewall, the Gill Foundation committed an additional $50,000 to support Stonewall Day (June 26), a fundraiser benefiting Trans Lifeline, the TransLatin@ Coalition, Brave Space Alliance, and The Ally Coalition.

“Stonewall is a cornerstone of LGBTQ history and it must be protected. LGBTQ history is American history,” said Scott Miller and Tim Gill, co-chairs of the Gill Foundation. “Queer people of color — including trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Miss Major — led the uprisings against police brutality at Stonewall and in doing so helped spark the movement for LGBTQ equality. We must preserve that history and the legacy of the activists who led the charge.”

“As the first and only LGBTQ National Monument, Stonewall is home not only to the history of our community, but also the history of our city and country,” said Stacy Lentz and Kurt Kelly, co-owners of the Stonewall Inn. “We are beyond grateful for this generous pledge that will help us keep the history alive.”

RELATED: The Gill Foundation was launched in 1994 by software engineer Tim Gill, the creator of Quark, in reaction to his home state of Colorado’s infamous Amendment 2, which was overturned by the US Supreme Court in Romer v Evans, a case that set the stage for the decriminalization of homosexuality in Lawrence v Texas five years later. According to Wikipedia, Gill has donated more to LGBTQ causes than any other individual.