Every year, Taproot closes for a holiday that celebrates a milestone in the fight for equality. It’s called Matt O’Grady Day, and it reminds us that progress is possible when people are willing to stand up, speak out, and build a better future together.
Since 2008, Taproot has celebrated Matt O’Grady Day, a holiday commemorating a landmark moment for same-sex marriage in the United States. Matt was a long-time Taproot team member during our early days in San Francisco. He married his husband Steve Van Landingham at San Francisco’s City Hall on June 19, 2008, just days after the California Supreme Court ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
More than 100 friends and family members attended Matt and Steve’s wedding, including Matt’s coworkers. Taproot founder Aaron Hurst gave staff a paid day off and created an official organization holiday in honor of the occasion.
“From this year forward, we will close our offices every year to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Matt O’Grady and more importantly, to celebrate a major milestone in the civil rights movement in this country: the legalization of gay marriage.”
– Aaron Hurst, Taproot founder
A Lasting Impact
Matt and Steve’s wedding represented more than a personal milestone. This day was created to honor justice, civil rights, and one important victory in the larger movement for LGBTQIA+ equality.
“Matt O’Grady Day isn’t so much about me as it is about the monumental step forward society took,” Matt said in 2008. “The long arc of history does bend toward justice. Matt O’Grady Day is a celebration of this advance and a celebration of what it means to be a Root.”
While the original Matt O’Grady Day was observed on Matt and Steve’s anniversary earlier in June, we now celebrate it on June 26. That’s the day in 2015 when the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, making same-sex marriage legal across the nation.
As LGBTQIA2S+ communities continue to face new challenges, Matt O’Grady Day serves as both a celebration of what’s been achieved and a reminder of the work that remains. As Roots, we celebrate the holiday with pride—honoring the struggle, appreciating the victories, and recommitting ourselves each June 26 to the work that lies ahead.
Progress takes all of us. This Pride Month, explore pro bono opportunities with LGBTQIA2S+-focused nonprofits on Taproot Plus.
