Bishop Steven R. Sawyer Sets Sights on New LGBTQ+ Advocacy Goals
Photo courtesy of Pacific Northwest Black Pride.
Fresh off the 2026 Pride season, Bishop Steven R. Sawyer, CEO and Co-Founder of Pacific Northwest Black Pride and Second Presiding Bishop of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church Fellowship (UPPC) reflected on a year of unprecedented recognition, according to a recent press release from Pacific Northwest Pride. His recent accolades highlight a career defined by dedicated behind-the-scenes work at the intersection of HIV advocacy, public health, and LGBTQIA+ community building.
In June, Bishop Sawyer was inducted into the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network (LGBTQ-RAN), a national archive preserving the history of LGBTQ people of faith. Shortly after, he was honored by Seattle Pride with a 2026 Ackerman Award for Service, and later presented with the 2026 Legends Award at the NAESM, Inc. national gala.
Accepting these awards, Bishop Sawyer credited the collaborative effort of countless volunteers, organizations, and community members, particularly citing his previous ten-year tenure as Executive Director of POCAAN (People of Color Against AIDS Network). During his leadership at POCAAN, the organization grew from approximately $500,000 to $4.5 million in revenue, evolving into a comprehensive health equity agency.
With the honors of the summer behind him, Bishop Sawyer has pivoted his attention to a new, ambitious campaign: securing an official Washington State proclamation to recognize August as Black Pride Month. Working alongside Rev. Dr. Renee McCoy and the PNW Pride Planning Committee, the initiative seeks to codify the recognition of the many Black queer Pride events that already take place across the state every August.
For Bishop Sawyer, this effort is a direct extension of his lifelong commitment to building visibility, infrastructure, and dignity for Black LGBTQ+ communities. "You cannot separate the health of a people from their freedom," he said in the press release, emphasizing that his advocacy remains rooted in the belief that where there is inequity, there is illness, and where there is dignity, there is healing.
Learn more about Pacific Northwest Black Pride at nwblackpride.org
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