Pride Month Reflection

During Pride Month, we celebrate who we are, but I think it’s also a really important time to slow down and remember the people who came before us. The people who didn’t always have the freedom to speak openly, who had to hide parts of themselves, and who still chose to stand up, speak out, and fight for change even when it wasn’t safe to do so.

A lot of what we see today — Pride parades, flags, openly LGBTQ+ people living their lives, and communities that feel more visible — didn’t just happen on its own. It came from years of struggle, activism, and people refusing to stay silent. There were people who risked their safety, their jobs, their families, and sometimes even their lives just to push things forward little by little. That’s something I think is easy to forget when Pride Month becomes colorful and celebratory, because behind all of that is a long history of real struggle.

Pride isn’t only about celebration. It’s also about remembering where things started and understanding why this month exists in the first place. It’s about honoring the history of the LGBTQ+ community — the moments of pain, but also the moments of strength, resilience, and hope. It’s about recognizing how far things have come, while also being honest that there is still work to do in a lot of places so that everyone can feel safe and accepted no matter who they are or who they love.

As a 17-year-old, I know I haven’t lived through the hardest parts of that history. I didn’t grow up during the earliest fights for rights or the times when it was much more dangerous to be open about who you are. But even if I didn’t experience those moments firsthand, I still understand that the freedom and acceptance many people have today didn’t come easily. It was earned by people who refused to give up, even when things felt impossible. And because of that, people like me — and so many others in my generation — can feel a little more comfortable being ourselves and expressing who we are.

Sometimes I think about this more when I watch shows like Love, Victor. Seeing characters struggle with coming out, relationships, acceptance, and figuring out who they are makes me reflect on how different everyone’s experience can be. It reminds me that even though things have improved, not everyone’s journey is easy, and a lot of people are still going through those moments in real life. It just makes everything feel more real and personal in a way that’s hard to explain.

At the same time, I think it’s important to be honest that not everyone still feels fully safe or accepted. Even today, there are people who struggle with being open about their identity, who don’t feel supported by the people around them, or who still face discrimination just for being who they are. That’s why Pride Month still matters. It’s not just history — it’s still happening in real time for a lot of people.This month makes me think about how important community really is. Having people who support you, understand you, or even just accept you for who you are can make a huge difference.And I think that’s one of the most powerful parts of Pride — it brings people together who might have felt alone at some point in their lives and reminds them that they’re not.I also think Pride is about hope. Hope that things can keep improving. Hope that future generations won’t have to struggle as much to be accepted. Hope that people can just exist without having to constantly explain or defend who they are.So this month, I’m really thankful. Thankful for the people who came before us, the activists, leaders, and everyday people who kept pushing forward even when it was hard. Thankful for the progress that has been made. And also aware that there’s still more to do.Happy Pride Month. Be proud of who you are, support each other, and never forget the people who helped make today possible. 🏳️‍🌈


Xavier Johnson Chief Executive Director