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We do not have Pride because we are free. We have Pride because we are not.
We have Pride because the brave pioneers of our movement stood in the face of legal state-sanctioned violence and said, “Enough!” We found each other. We fought back. We organized. We carved celebration from our oppression.
Pride is more than a celebration in our community. It is a joyful defiance, a revolutionary refusal of hate.
This Pride season, as we face increasing threats and dangerously false narratives, we are not just celebrating our identities but affirming our shared resilience in the face of adversity.
We have fought and won these battles before. We will do so again. Extremists have misunderstood who we are. We are the LGBTQ+ community, born from the crucible of systemic adversity, tempered by vibrant resilience, and forged by radically unwavering love.
We will not greet history like a stranger.
This Pride may we drop our shoulders, allow ourselves to exhale, and breathe in love. Let’s un-wring our hands to extend them, embracing found family. Claim freedom from the open air and dare to dance in daylight, so our affection sees the sun rather than shadows and shame.
Pride is a reminder that our celebration is justice, our joy is defiance, our love is insubordinate, our revelry is resistance, and our hope will never be silent.
I invite you to bravely discard fear. Seize hope. Be free.
Whether you’ve been with us since Stonewall, or this is your first, welcome to Pride. Welcome home. Together, we are stronger, we will win, and we will Thrive! Now, more than ever, it’s time for Pride!
With Pride,
Fernando Z. López
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Executive Director
San Diego Pride |
