This year marks 50 years of Pride. As we navigate this monumental year for Pride, we reflect on how our resilience and strength as a community has brought us to where we are today. Our resilience is beautiful but does not define us. Our deep love and care for one another and our communities is what fuels us and drives us towards collective joy.
This year, tapping into joy feels that much harder with the reality that not all of our Queer and Trans family are able to celebrate this Pride. As so many will be looking to LGBTQ+ communities this Pride we must take this opportunity to call for our community to support the liberation of Palestine, Congo, and Sudan.
Systems of power and control rely on our collective silence while our most marginalized are harmed and ultimately die. Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center understands the importance of and continues to work towards providing and expanding access to affirming healthcare. The intentional attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers in Palestine, Congo, and Sudan is nothing short of horrific. We are dedicated to our mission of cultivating access and connections to promote self-determination, liberation and joy in our communities. As an organization we have stood strong on our stance against carceral systems and abuse of power demonstrated by our law enforcement. It is not lost on us that the tactics and tools used to oppress and harm our most vulnerable are directly provided by training from the Israel Defense Force.
As an organization we understand that systems that are built with the intent of maintaining power over individuals cause harm and incite violence. We recognize the pattern of power and control demonstrated within Palestine, Congo, and Sudan.
It is through genocide and colonialism generations of queer and trans people are lost again. It is through police violence fueled by training from the IDF, that tears our communities apart.
This Pride month all eyes are on LGBTQ+ communities and this is our opportunity to bring a call to action. There is so much that we can do, such as continuing to call your representatives, joining community actions, donating to families through platforms like Operation Olive Branch, Friends of the Congo, and SAPA.
Many of us are not okay, and many of us can not celebrate this 50th year of Pride. So let us honor this Pride month by continuing to protest, continuing to hold and care for one another and continue to show radical love to ourselves and all members of our communities.
