Pride is about love. It’s not just about who you love as a partner, it’s also about love for yourself. It’s about love for the individuals who came before, who fought tooth and nail for progress; it’s about love for those to come, who we hope will have an easier path. It’s about love for a community that finds ways to persevere despite all the hatred that is thrown its way. That love, that community, provides support and shelter and solace when the days are hard; it inspires joy and beauty and wonder through all seasons.

That love is like a tree with roots deep and wide, trunk standing tall and proud even as it is blasted by foul weather, branches bursting forth with riotous color after the harshness of winter. It is happiness and heartbreak interwoven, the tenderness of new growth and the toughness of old wounds scarred over. It is a lifeline when the world feels like it is falling away from beneath your feet.

Pride may look and feel different for everyone, and it may take many forms over a single lifetime. But always, at its core, it is about love. The LGBTQIA+ community is the target of so much hatred, but we dig deep. We stand together and we stand tall. We love fiercely and beautifully. We’re here, we’re queer, and we are Not. Going. Anywhere.