This year, as we embrace the theme “Live Out Loud!”, we reflect on the power of our collective voice and the strength found in our shared purpose.
“Live Out Loud!” is not merely a theme; it is our mandate, a testament to the power of living authentically, of embracing our truths in the full light of day. It speaks to the soul of our movement, a movement that calls for acceptance and liberation, one that inspires us to reach for the seemingly unattainable, to believe–it is the audacity of hope and the drive of our pride.
Today, we are navigating through an era where our rights and identities are under increased scrutiny and challenge. Legislative assaults on our existence continue to surge, with anti-LGBTQ+ bills reaching unprecedented numbers–and a core focus on our trans and nonbinary community and youth.
While acknowledging the importance of protest and expressing our diverse perspectives, we must always recognize the potential for greater impact when we work together towards a common goal…liberation of identity and love.
As we prepare to make, and take, space for the recognition and celebration of LGBTQ+/queer Pride we acknowledge the roots of our uprising as protests against the injustices enacted against the LGBTQ+/queer community. The Stonewall Uprising led to protests in the streets, the taking of space to ensure our community was seen and heard—taken seriously.
It is our hope that the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival & March can be a safer space for a vast array of identities within our community. The Stonewall Columbus organization hopes that our community considers safe ways to demonstrate/protest should they want to do so–as they did last year. In moments when gathering large crowds of humans the utmost concern should always be the safety of those present in that community space.
It is and will always be our community’s intersectionality which feeds our combined power that will make change happen, inspire generations to never stop dreaming, to empower allies to become accomplices—to save our own lives.
Our community consists of intersections and we must work together to uplift the various identities in our intersectional community. We must find ways to demonstrate our community’s capacity to make things happen, and must do so standing together–in our power–not against.
As we celebrate Pride, let us remember that it is not about parties and parades. It is about celebrating our community, our culture, our resilience, and our ongoing fight for equality, equity, and liberation–that should result in parties, parades, and marches.
1969 was an uprising–1970 to now ensures we never forget.
With pride,
Densil Porteous (he/they)
Executive Director
Stonewall Columbus
