Christopher Street West Association (CSW), the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organized the world’s first permitted LGBTQ+ parade in 1970, has announced the grand marshals of the 56th annual L.A. Pride Parade, including Mia Yamamoto as community grand marshal.
Jeff Hiller is this year’s celebrity grand marshal and the late Shirley Raines is the icon grand marshal. The grand marshals’ visibility, courage, and lifelong commitment to authenticity reflect the enduring strength and evolution of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The theme of the parade is “Rise with Pride.” The celebration will take place in Hollywood on Sunday, June 14. The parade route will begin at Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue, traveling north to Hollywood Boulevard, east to Cahuenga Boulevard, and south back to Sunset.
Pride Village, stretching along Hollywood Boulevard from Vine Street to Gower Street, is free and open to the public.
This year’s theme is both a celebration and a call forward. It reflects the resilience of a community that continues to rise through change, through challenge, and through collective growth. As LA Pride enters its 56th year, the organization continues evolving from a single June celebration into a year-round institution rooted in service, access, and advocacy.
“‘Rise with Pride’ is more than a theme, it’s a responsibility,” said Lawrence Carroll, CSW Board President. “This year especially, it’s important that we listen to our community and respond intentionally. Our focus is on accessibility, sustainability, and innovation. LA Pride is rooted in service. We are not a ‘gay-chella,’ but we absolutely know how to throw a celebration that is uniquely Los Angeles and representative of everyone who calls this city home, no matter what neighborhood you live in. That balance, joy and responsibility, is who we are.”
Mia F Yamamoto is a transgender L.A.-based criminal defense attorney and highly lauded LGBTQ+ civil rights activist. Born in the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona during World War II, Yamamoto attended Cal State University and served in the U.S. Army, where she was awarded a National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign and Service Medals.
After graduation from UCLA’s School of Law, where she co-founded the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association (APILSA), Yamamoto spent nearly 15 years as a Legal Aid attorney and public defender. For her human rights work and LGBTQ+ activism, she has been awarded dozens of legal awards and been named “Criminal Defense Attorney of the Year” by the L.A. County Bar Association in 2002; one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in California” by the **California Daily Journal** in 2002; “Criminal Defense Attorney of the Year” by Century City Bar Association in 2006; and voted “Southern California Super Lawyer” by her peers and **L.A. Magazine,** 2005 to 2022.
She is also a recipient of the Rainbow Key Award from the City of West Hollywood in 2011 and the Harvey Milk Legacy Award by L.A. Pride in 2012.
Jeff Hiller is an Emmy-winning actor and comedian, honored in 2025 with the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his portrayal as Joel on HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere.” He recently guest-starred on “Pluribus” for Apple TV+, is a recurring character on “Stumble” for NBC, as well as Hiro Murai’s upcoming series for Apple TV+, “Widow’s Bay.” Recently, Hiller was announced for a special guest star role in “Elsbeth,” Season 3.
Hiller has numerous television recurring roles and guest star appearances including “American Horror Story,” “30 Rock,” “The McCarthys,” “Impastor,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and was a series regular on the Pop Network original “Nightcap.” In addition to publishing his memoir, “Actress of a Certain Age,” in 2025, he recently wrapped up the run of his one-man show, “Jeff Hiller Is Basic,” at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, NYC, recently sold a pilot to Universal Cable Productions, and is developing a pilot with Zachary Quinto’s Before The Door Productions.
Shirley Raines (1967-2026) was a humanitarian, activist, and founder of Beauty 2 the Streetz. Following the devastating loss of her young son, Raines channeled her grief into a lifelong mission of service, becoming a transformative figure in Los Angeles’ Skid Row community, where she was affectionately known by her followers as “Ms. Shirley.”
Raines redefined street outreach by championing beauty and self-care as fundamental human rights. Through Beauty 2 the Streetz, she provided gourmet meals, hygiene essentials, hair coloring, makeovers, and showers to thousands of unhoused individuals — restoring not just basic needs, but dignity and confidence. Her work was guided by the belief that “the streets may be where you live, but they don’t have to be who you are.” Her advocacy earned her international recognition, including the 2021 CNN Hero of the Year Award. In 2025, she received an NAACP Image Award for her powerful social media presence, where she leveraged a following of over 6 million to humanize the homeless crisis and amplify the voices of those living on Skid Row.
She passed away in January 2026 at the age of 58. She leaves behind a legacy of radical compassion, vibrant color, and unwavering commitment to the underserved. Her mission lives on through the organization she built, ensuring her “Kings and Queens” are never forgotten.
The parade will broadcast live on June 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles, with simulcasts on ABC7’s streaming and digital platforms and Hulu. ABC7/KABC-TV won an L.A.-area Emmy for their coverage of the 2022 parade.
For more information: https://lapride.org/