(Reproduction of executive director welcome at the 2024 Stonewall Columbus Brunch–June 2, 2024)
Happy Pride Month!
I’m Densil Porteous, and I use he/they pronouns.
It’s a joy to stand here today, surrounded by faces—both familiar and new—gathered to celebrate not just a month of Pride, but a lifetime of resilience and community.
Special thanks to Anissa/Corey, whose energy today perfectly captures the spirit we cherish.
To our tireless staff, our devoted board, donors, sponsors, and every volunteer — your contributions breathe life into our mission. And to you, our community, your presence today enhances this chapter in our vibrant history.
Since the summer of 2020, I have had the honor and privilege of serving as Executive Director of Stonewall Columbus, an organization that has been a pillar of support and empowerment for the queer community across the great Columbus region for over four decades.
During the last four decades, Stonewall Columbus has provided life-saving and affirming information, connections to services and support to the queer community not only in Columbus and the Central Ohio Region but across the state.
Our organization is known for its history uplifting LGBTQ+ pride in June, however, our founding was steeped in a need to combat the potential for anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment to take root here in Columbus during a 1980s attempt to establish a Columbus based Moral Majority headquarters.
While this attempt failed, Stonewall the organization never went away and over time Stonewall has become a major part of the Columbus LGBTQ+ community and beyond. Stonewall Columbus has a history of working with our members and allies to achieve political and social equality–working to ensure we all thrive.
Our history, our queer history, is a mosaic of struggle and triumph, painted with the vibrant colors of our diverse community. The Stonewall Uprisings, ignited in the face of police brutality and societal indifference, taught us that our voices, when united, can echo through the annals of time, demanding change and commanding visibility.
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.
Yet, our resolve has only strengthened, our unity fortified by the adversities we face. Stonewall Columbus stands resolute, a beacon for those seeking refuge and recognition, channeling the essence of our struggles into a force for societal transformation.
Our small organization works to create space and connection for roughly 35,000 people via in-person and virtual resources and programs every year.
Fifty-five years post the Stonewall Uprisings we have much to celebrate but far more left in our fight.
We are halfway through the year and the ACLU is tracking 515 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. and this year 27 anti-trans bills have been enacted…so far.
In the month of June as our communities gather around the country to celebrate and recognize LGBTQ+ Pride across our intersectional identities we must ensure we do this in remembrance, celebration, and as a demonstration.
We know as we continue to fight to make and maintain spaces for queer identities to be seen and thrive, at the core this fight is about our Pride.
Yes, the 1969 Stonewall Uprisings were protests against police brutality; but more so these were protests representative of the communal frustration against the injustices enacted on a people: the LGBTQ+ community.
That is why Black Trans activist Marsha P. Johnson and others stepped out…stepped out to protest so they could live freely in their truth–in their Pride.
Columbus’s first pride parade, recognized by the City of Columbus, was in 1982 marching from the Ohio State University to the Statehouse not only in commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall Uprisings but also in order to draw light to the community of LGBTQ+ individuals here in central Ohio who continued to live in secret afraid to live publicly in their truth. 41 years on and during our last in-person pride march Stonewall Columbus welcomed over 700,000 individuals in celebration and recognition of PRIDE.
And while some progress has been made, we know our fight is far from over. We still face discrimination, hate, and bigotry—not in some country thousands of miles away…but right here in our own state.
The Stonewall Uprisings, which took place 54 years ago, ignited a movement for liberation that continues to this day…it’s our history–it’s our Pride!
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–we’ve seen its successes.
Drawing inspiration from Sarah Schulman’s “Let The Record Show,” we can reflect on how the LGBTQ+ community has historically come together to effect change, even in moments of disagreement.
Schulman’s work highlights the diverse range of activism within the LGBTQ+ community. We must understand that different individuals and groups may approach advocacy and protest differently, driven by their unique experiences and priorities. From grassroots organizing to legislative efforts, the LGBTQ+ movement has historically embraced a spectrum of activism. By acknowledging this diversity, we can foster a more inclusive and respectful dialogue within our community.
While it is natural for disagreements to arise, especially in a movement as diverse as ours, it is crucial to engage in constructive dialogue. By actively listening and seeking common ground, we can find ways to combine our strengths and create more impactful strategies. Rather than allowing differences to divide us, we can harness the power of collaboration to amplify our voices and effect lasting change.
Disagreements are inevitable, but how we approach them matters.
Constructive dialogue enables us to explore different viewpoints, challenge assumptions, and find common ground. By actively listening to one another and seeking to understand, we can bridge gaps and develop strategies that reflect a collective vision. It is through respectful conversation that we can move beyond individual perspectives and create solutions that benefit the entire LGBTQ+ community.
“Let The Record Show” highlights the importance of centering and uplifting marginalized voices within the LGBTQ+ community. By creating space for diverse perspectives and experiences, we can ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community are included and heard. This requires us to challenge our own privileges, listen to those whose voices are often overlooked, and collectively advocate for justice and equality.
By embracing diversity within our movement and amplifying marginalized voices, we can create a stronger, more resilient LGBTQ+ community that effectively challenges oppression and achieves lasting progress. Together, we can overcome our differences and work towards a future where all LGBTQ+ individuals can live authentically and fearlessly.
Being queer and Black in this role often means navigating spaces that were not designed with me in mind. It means engaging with communities that may not fully understand the duality of the discrimination I face. This dual identity brings with it a dual set of stereotypes, a dual set of biases, and, indeed, a dual set of obstacles to overcome.
Yet, it is within this intersection that I also find unique strengths.
It grants me the insight to see not just the obvious solutions but the subtle, nuanced ones that truly resonate with a diverse constituency. It equips me with the empathy to lead not just with my mind, but with my heart, understanding that the fabric of our communities is woven from threads of different strengths, colors, and textures.
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.
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 sometimes results in parties, parades, and marches.
With passion burning in our hearts, we embrace the legacy of those who came before us, the fearless fighters who sparked the Stonewall Uprisings and ignited a movement–they lived out loud!
We channel their fire, igniting our own flames of love, resilience, and unyielding spirit. Our passion fuels our determination to build a future where all LGBTQ+ people can thrive, unapologetically and authentically.
But we do not stand alone–we cannot stand alone.
We draw strength from our collective power, knowing that true change emerges when we stand shoulder to shoulder, amplifying the voices of the marginalized, and dismantling the systems that perpetuate discrimination.
Our power lies in our unity, in our commitment to showing up for each other, and in our unwavering belief that love and acceptance will triumph over hate.
This year, let us remember the journeys of those who marched before us, honor the battles fought, and prepare for the challenges that lie ahead. Our march continues, not just through the streets of Columbus but in every action we take, every allyship we forge, and every life we touch. As we celebrate this Pride, let us renew our commitment to inclusivity, equality, equity, and respect for all, guided by the lessons of our past and fueled by our hopes for the future.
When we march, let us do so not just as a community, but as a manifestation of love and defiance, as a testament to the power of living out loud. Let our celebration be a mirror reflecting the myriad faces of our community, each story a thread in the grand tapestry of our collective history, each voice a note in the anthem of our shared triumph.
We will live out loud–we will reflect on the power of our intersectional and collective voices and the strength found in our shared purpose.
To live out loud is to channel the defiant joy of those first warriors of Stonewall, who, in the face of brutality, chose to stand tall, to love boldly, and to demand the world’s attention. Their legacy, our beacon, guides us through the tempest of prejudice and inequality, reminding us that our voices, resonant and strong, carry the power to shatter the shackles of ignorance.
In a society where inequality and injustice still thrive, silence is a luxury only few can afford—I am not among that few. Speaking out against injustice isn’t just a choice; it’s a necessity—it’s a requirement of my current intersectional identities. Whether it’s in board meetings, community gatherings, or through the work of Stonewall, raising my voice is an act of defiance—a refusal to let prejudice, discrimination, and hate have the last word.
This month, we celebrate, we remember, and we march—not just in joy, but in defiance, in love, and in solidarity. Let’s continue to make history together, forging a path of love, respect, and unwavering courage, proving once again that our community’s pride is as limitless as the sky under which we will celebrate and march.
As we march forward, let us carry the torch of those who first stood at Stonewall, those who lived and fought out loud. Let’s honor their legacy not just in our words, but in our actions. Engage with us, lead with us, and let’s ensure that our Pride resonates every day of the year.
Together, we are not just marking history—we are making it.
Let’s live out loud, Columbus!”
