Friend, this year, Pride Month means a little more.

Facing the dual realities of a pandemic and mass protests against systemic racism and police brutality, it’s more important than ever to remember the legacy of this month and the decades-long fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. It’s more important than ever to remember that Pride Month began at Stonewall, when a Black trans woman fought back against a discriminatory police force.

It’s more important than ever to remember that members of the LGBTQ+ community are twice as likely as the rest of the population to not have health insurance, as many face down the second epidemic of their lifetimes.

It’s more important than ever to embrace the meaning of Pride Month, whether or not you identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. That the fight for freedom and equality for all--across race, creed, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity -- is a fight we all must take up together, as we strive to embrace our wholeness, and an acceptance of who people are. Because Pride isn’t about rainbow corporate logos or massive parades -- it’s about an everlasting drive to demand the world of dignity and justice we all deserve.

In solidarity,

Dana