Pride is rooted in celebration, resistance, and solidarity.

This year, it's also a reckoning. The recent passing of Barney Frank is a reminder that liberation movements don't always protect everyone equally. Real coalition building means being honest about that, especially as LGBTQ+ people—and trans people in particular—face an escalating legislative assault. More than 616 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in 2025. The ACLU has already counted 529 more in 2026. In the rural South, where affirming resources are already scarce, communities bear a disproportionate share of this burden. But our grantee partners are meeting this moment with clarity and resolve. From We Are Family's Trans Love Fund microgrants in South Carolina, to RISE: Healthy for Life's affirming health education in Appalachia, to the Kentucky Civic Engagement Table building queer-inclusive power statewide, their work is essential. #Pride #LGBTQRights #GrassrootsOrganizing #SocialJustice #RuralSouth #SouthernPartnersFund