In honor of the Stonewall Riots, on June 28, local radio station KXCI is dedicating their program to the gay rights movement.

Thursday marks the 43rd anniversary of the infamous Stonewall Riots in New York City, and from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the station will feature guest speakers focusing on issues that affect the LGBTQ community.

Located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, the Stonewall Inn was a bar operated by the Mafia and frequented by gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered people.On the night of June 28, 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn was met with aggressive retaliation, as patrons unexpectedly fought back against police harassment. Raids of that kind were normal at the time, as the neighborhood was a well-known place for individuals to participate in sexual acts that society had labeled deviant and unacceptable.

The hostile response of gays and lesbians at Stonewall was met with brutal police violence and several arrests. The events that transpired that day thrust the idea of equal rights for members of the LGBTQ community into the consciousness of leaders within social and cultural equality movements. To this day, the Stonewall Riots are viewed as the birth of the LGBTQ rights movement.

The broadcast will be highlighted by interviews with key leaders within the local LGBTQ community. Among them will be Kevin Jackson, homeless youth project coordinator at Wingspan, and Lauryn Bianco of the LGBTQ Behavioral Health Coalition. Additionally, KXCI’s Susie B. sat down with Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls during a visit to Tucson earlier this month, which will be featured on Thursday. Also included in the broadcast is KXCI’s Randy Peterson, who will speak with a representative from the You Can Play project, working to foster support for young gay athletes.