Dear
George at the SGN
The
dream of fairness and justice is one our community
holds dear. In just the last 12 months, we have
shared in the excitement, joy, and—at
times—trepidation of seeing the LGBTQ community
advance closer and closer to full
equality.
Tomorrow,
as we commemorate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., we draw inspiration from the visionary
leader who dared us all to look within our
communities and within ourselves to challenge
injustice and to work for peace.
Recognizing
that at times we may feel quite alone, it is
through the movement—through our community—that we
find strength. Dr. King understood the importance
of movement building, of bringing diverse
populations together toward a shared goal. This is
the work we must continue to build
on.
In
my first year of leading Pride Foundation as
Executive Director, I’ve had the chance to witness
first-hand how our family of community partners,
scholars, donors, and volunteers are making
transformative change. Daily I hear stories
exemplifying how people are changing lives and
building a brighter future by giving
back.
We’ve
seen incredible advances in LGBTQ equality in
Pride Foundation’s 27 year history, but we know
that there is much work ahead. We must continue to
support new generations of youth. We must stand
united with transgender members of our community
and work for fair access to health care. We must
support humane immigration policies.
There
is great optimism in knowing that our movement is
growing. I hope you can feel and see the tangible
change taking shape. And, I hope you will take a
moment on Martin Luther King Jr. Day—a day of
reflection on how we ourselves can challenge
injustice—to acknowledge the achievements of our
community and to reflect on all the work that is
still to come. Together, let’s dream of the future
we want, and together, we will achieve
it.
With
Pride,
