Pride isn’t just a celebration of who we are today, but a reminder of the people who fought to create the possibility of a different future.
Pride didn’t begin as a celebration, it began as resistance — a response to criminalization, harassment, and the systemic oppression of LGBTQ+ people. Trans and gender-expansive people — particularly trans women of color — were at the forefront of that struggle, and their courage helped spark a movement that challenged not only discriminatory laws and systems, but also the narratives used to justify them. Their leadership has shaped our movement in profound ways, even as their stories have too often been erased, distorted, or co-opted by others.
Remembering these origins and stories matters now more than ever. The narratives that circulate through media, politics, and public discourse influence how people understand one another. They shape what communities are valued, whose experiences are believed, and what futures feel possible.
That’s why narrative justice is so important. At its core, narrative justice is rooted in a simple belief: communities deserve the power to define themselves. The stories that shape public understanding, policy, and culture should come from the people living those experiences — not from outsiders speaking on their behalf.
At Pride Foundation, one way we support this work is through the TRANSform Culture Fellowship (TFC), a program that advances narrative justice by investing in gender-expansive leaders, storytellers, artists, and community builders across the Northwest.
Across the region, TFC fellows are creating opportunities for gender-expansive folks to gather, reflect, and share their stories through projects they developed during their fellowship.
Some projects focus on creating spaces for connection. One fellow is developing Rooted & Rising, a gathering for QTBIPOC community members and loved ones centered on storytelling, grounding, and belonging. Another is reimagining the familiar paint-night format through a narrative justice lens, inviting participants to explore how art can help tell interconnected stories and strengthen community ties.
Other projects focus on preserving and documenting stories that are often overlooked. One oral history initiative explores how QTBIPOC and 2STNBI adults experience literacy, storytelling, and learning across generations, creating a digital archive that celebrates diverse pathways to knowledge and expression. Another project uses Talanoa, a traditional Pacific Islander practice of dialogue and storytelling, to explore identity, culture, and celebration through the voices of Queer and Trans Pacific Islanders.
Two fellows are also exploring the power of film and digital storytelling. Through short documentaries and video series, they are capturing stories of trans people finding joy, building community, and navigating daily life across the Northwest. These projects challenge stereotypes and offer a fuller picture of what it means to live, create, and thrive as trans and gender-expansive people.
These projects feel especially meaningful during Pride Month. By collecting oral histories, creating films, hosting community gatherings, facilitating dialogue, and preserving stories, our fellows are helping build a cultural record that reflects the richness and diversity of our communities.
In a moment when harmful rhetoric and misinformation continue to shape public conversations about gender-expansive communities, that work is both deeply important and profoundly hopeful.
Because every movement needs storytellers, and every future begins with the stories we choose to tell.