It's the most wonderful time of the year!
It's Pride month, and it goes without saying that our LGBTQ+ friends deserve a little celebration and fun to recharge their batteries after another challenging year.
I couldn't be happier to kick off this month in my hometown of Hamilton, Ohio at its fourth annual Pride March and Festival. It's always the first Saturday of June, and the official kick-off to Pride month for our family. What started with just 40 vendors and hundreds of attendees in 2021 has grown more than FOUR TIMES that size! Just seeing our downtown park filled with sparkles and smiles, young and old, neighbors and newcomers brings about so many emotions. It reminds me of what's possible when we LIVE and let LOVE.
Perhaps the moist poignant part of the day was the predictable appearance of protestors and how our little community responded. Surrounding the hateful signs and sign-holders were a sea of rainbow umbrellas. This "parasol patrol" was a beautiful symbol of allyship. I saw community leaders, drag queens, postal service workers, retired firefighters and small business owners grabbing umbrellas and standing shoulder to shoulder to shield guests from the toxic rhetoric. Even when the protestors decided to enter the park, the parasol patrol moved with them. And they stayed on duty until every last protestor retreated.
Normally I steer clear of protestors because their hate speech is so vile it makes my stomach sick. But this time, I was drawn to them. What I experienced was not what I expected. Instead of an in-your-face hostile demonstration, I witnessed acts of love from total strangers. All you could feel was hope. People were cheering, smiling, and yes, shedding tears--but this time they were tears of gratitude.
During Pride Month, let's challenge one another to put our allyship into action. Let's grab our umbrellas and shield our LGBTQ+ friends, family and neighbors from hate--and not just for a month. They need us all year round.
It's time to shower our fellow humans with love. Who's with me?
Happy Pride!