How to Have a More Meaningful Pride in 2020

June marks Pride, a month-long, parade-filled celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. 🌈 This year, however, Pride is inextricable from the grief and anxiety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent murder of George Floyd and others by police officers, and the senseless violence and inequality Black people experience daily in America. Pride may not feel as celebratory as usual but that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as powerful.

Pride was born of the desire to fight back against the oppression of minority groups. Its June date pays homage to the Stonewall uprising in June 1969, a series of demonstrations in Greenwich Village that were led by Black trans activist Marsha P. Johnson in response to police violence and oppression of LGBTQIA+ people. Pride 2020 is a perfect opportunity to sow the seeds of real change. Check out these safe and impactful ways to celebrate the intersectionality and power of pride:

❤️ Give back to your community

One way to show pride for your community this June is to buy yourself or someone you love a present from a minority-owned business that is struggling in the midst of this economic downturn. If you just want to give back, consider donating to local organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ community like the Pittsburgh Equality Center, GLSEN, the Trevor Project, and so many more.  If you’d like to donate money to support protestors, Black businesses, and mental health resources for the Black community, check out this list of Pittsburgh organizations.

If you’re not in a position to donate right now, consider volunteering for one of these organizations, sharing their missions with your community, or asking a family member if they’d be willing to donate on your behalf.

💖 Take some time to educate (& enjoy) yourself

Reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching documentaries are all great ways to celebrate and honor the history of marginalized communities in America; plus, you’ll probably learn something new in the process. Check out Penguin Random House’s quintessential list of books to read for Pride month, which features historical looks at the gay liberation movement, fun fiction, and powerful coming of age stories. If podcasts are more your thing, check out this list of 12 LGBTQ Podcasts You Should Be Listening To. 

If you’re looking to dig deeper into the intersectionality of oppressed groups in America, check out this anti-racist reading list and this list of anti-racism podcasts.

💛 Speak out & stand in solidarity

Now is the time to speak up and against the systemic racism and oppression perpetuated by our society, our law enforcement systems, and our prison industrial complex. That could mean participating in peaceful protests or having difficult and uncomfortable conversations with your friends and family members. For White and non-Black people, it’s important to amplify the voices of Black thought leaders and to bring these conversations to spaces where they may not otherwise exist, i.e. within White communities. Take extra care to *listen* to the groups experiencing racism and oppression first hand.

💚 Practice self-care above all else

Now is not the time to let your mental, physical, and emotional health be unnecessarily damaged. Amidst the constant barrage of new, anxiety-inducing information, it can be easy to lose sense of how your body is absorbing everything. Build extra time into your schedule for the things that restore your sense of balance and stability, whether that is working out, cooking, napping, putting your phone down to go on a walk, or checking in on your friends. Return to the things that center you again and again, even more than you think necessary.

💙 Embrace your inherent radicalness

Pride is about owning who you are, who you love, and what you stand for. It wouldn’t exist without the ability to start revolutions, to speak truth to power, and to find community among those who society oppresses. It’s about radical self-love in the face of a world that tells you to hate what makes you unique. Take extra care to remind yourself and those you love how loved they are.

💜 Find ways to create community

Though all Pittsburgh Pride events have been postponed until Fall 2020, there are still plenty of ways to be together. Talk with your friends, figure out ways to enjoy each other’s company while remaining safe and socially distant—have a backyard drag show or try Zoom karaoke. If you feel comfortable, attend a protest and/or challenge your friends to match your donations to bail funds and Black businesses. The more you find yourself challenging and showing up for each other, the more you’ll see your community growing.

Wishing a safe and powerful Pride to all of our community. Stay tuned for more ways to engage and give back.