Dear Community,
Outside our windows, the sun is shining on San Diego. But for many of us, the air feels cold.
I am not just talking about the freezing temperatures moving across the rest of the country. I am talking about the chill in our spirits. From the heartbreaking news of another life taken by ICE in Minnesota, to the abrupt suspension of gender-affirming care for our trans youth right here in San Diego, the temperature is dropping.
When the world comes at us in such a cold and dangerous way, a natural instinct can be to freeze. To stiffen up. To isolate.
But that is not who we are.
San Diego Pride has always been more than a celebration; we are a Sanctuary of Belonging. For 50 years, when the political winds howled and the safety of our people was threatened, we didn’t break. We stood our ground. We gathered. We built a fire aimed at incinerating prejudice and bias from the world.
That is my message to you this week: We do not freeze. We burn so bright we SHINE.
We generate our own light through advocacy that doesn’t flinch. We create our own warmth by refusing to leave our trans siblings, our immigrant neighbors, or our youth out in the cold. We huddle up and remind each other that we are the source of our own safety.
If you are feeling the chill today, come close to the fire. Reach out to a friend, a chosen family member, or this community. And if you feel strong and have fuel to spare, please throw a log on the fire for someone else. Check on your people. Shine your light on them. Remind them that they are not alone.
The ice doesn’t stand a chance against a community on fire.
Stay warm, stay loud, stay proud.
KishaLynn Elliott
Executive Director, San Diego Pride
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
