As we were all preparing for Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience, getting ready to speak the names and mourn the loss of too many friends and family who have been violently taken from us this year, more grief and more loss came to all of us.
It is hard to find words after tragedy hits our community that will bring comfort, solace, or hope, but I wanted to try to find at least some.
I know we all have witnessed with horror, sadness, anger, and fear as, once again, our LGBTQ+ community members were viciously attacked, injured, and killed in a place that was meant for joy, safety, and connection.
I know that it is especially hard because in so many ways, this tragedy is present every day for so many in our community who continue to face violence and hate because of who they are, or who they love, whether or not it makes the news. We have shared some resources below that we hope will be a source of support for those who need it.
We know that what happened in Colorado Springs and the violence trans people face every day are the direct result of a culture that seeks to erase LGBTQ+ people from existence. That devalues and demonizes us. That is reinforced by hateful legislation that targets our community.
But let us not forget that our community fought back in Club Q and saved so many lives. Our community has created networks of support for one another when there was nothing else. Our community built movements and organizations to fight for justice and liberation for all of us.
Our community is powerful, beautiful, and has and will persevere.
Carving out safer spaces has been essential for survival for LGBTQ+ people – it is where we build community, find one another, and get to be the full, authentic versions of who we are. Pride Foundation was founded with the mission that together we can create not only spaces like this, but a Northwest, country, and world where LGBTQ+ people won’t have to fear for our lives, and can be loved and valued for who we are so that we may thrive.
Every single person in our community deserves to be safe. Deserves to exist. Deserves to thrive. We will never stop fighting until we create this world.