Where Love Leads We Rise

Pride Is More Than a Celebration—It's a Testament to Love, Courage, and Progress

Every June, rainbow flags wave proudly in cities across the globe. Music, joy, and community fill the air during Pride celebrations—but beyond the glitter and parades lies a powerful truth: Pride is rooted in protest, in resilience, and in the unwavering belief that love is love, no matter what form it takes.

I celebrate Pride not just as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but as someone who has walked this path for decades. My husband and I have been together for 32 years (married since 2017). That’s three decades of growing together, supporting one another, and navigating a world that hasn’t always made space for us. It hasn’t always been easy—but it has absolutely been worth it.

When I think about our relationship lasting longer than many of our straight peers, I smile—not out of pride for outlasting anyone, but because it proves something simple and profound: love is love. Our relationship isn’t extraordinary because we’re gay. It’s extraordinary because it has endured, grown, and strengthened through time, just like any long-term partnership should.

As I reflect on our journey,I know that where love leads we rise! I know we’re able to live more openly today because of those who came before us. The brave souls who risked everything at Stonewall and before. The advocates who fought for marriage equality. The everyday people who simply refused to hide who they were. These are the shoulders I stand on—people who demanded the right to love, to exist, and to be seen.

But in today’s climate, where equal rights are under attack and hard-won protections are being rolled back, it’s no longer enough to just celebrate—we must also activate. This is not the time to be silent or to be pushed back into a dark closet with the door slammed shut. Those before us fought too hard to get us where we are today and I won’t let them down.

We need everyone in the LGBTQ+ community—who safely can—to rise up. To speak out. To live visibly and unapologetically. And we need our allies standing shoulder to shoulder with us. Because what’s being threatened isn’t just policy—it’s our humanity, our dignity, and our right to exist freely.

Too often, those who criticize or reject LGBTQ+ people do so without ever having a real conversation with us. They’ve never sat across a table from a gay couple and seen the joy, the frustration, the love, and the humanity that lives in all relationships. Those that have sat across the table from my husband and me have walked away with a little more space to accept and understand.

We are no different than “straight” people. We want what everyone wants: love, family, community, and a future. The idea that there’s some vast divide between us is simply untrue. What divides us isn't love—it's fear, misinformation, and a refusal to evolve.

But here’s the truth: humanity evolves. Cultures grow, societies change, and with time, the truth always rises. Those who cling to outdated ideas out of fear or hatred may resist change—but they will eventually be left behind. Love, on the other hand, always moves forward. Always finds a way. Always wins.

Pride is a celebration, yes—but it’s also a call. A call to remember where we’ve been, to recognize how far we’ve come, and to keep marching toward a world where every person can love freely and live fully.

This Pride, I honor the past, celebrate the present, and believe in a future where equality isn't debated—it's embraced. Because love, in all its forms, deserves to be seen, respected, and cherished.

Happy Pride. 🌈