Pride

Hi, I'm Pride. I'm that warm, happy feeling you get deep inside when you've done something you're really happy with. I show up in those moments when your hard work pays off. Think about when you finally solve that super tricky math problem you've been working on all week. You feel a rush of excitement and know you did it all by yourself. That's me. Or when you paint a picture with all your favorite colors, carefully choosing each brushstroke, and then your family hangs it on the fridge for everyone to see. I make you want to point to it and say, 'I made that.'. I also appear on the sports field, like when you score the winning goal for your team and your teammates cheer for you. I am the feeling of accomplishment that makes you stand a little taller and smile a little wider, reminding you of what you are capable of.

I'm not just about what you do; I'm also about who you are. I help you feel good about your unique family, your culture, and all the special things that make you, you. Sometimes, a whole community feels me together, sharing a powerful sense of belonging. That's what happens every June during Pride Month. This special month has an important history. It all started after an event on the 28th of June, 1969, called the Stonewall Uprising. During this time, brave people like Marsha P. Johnson stood up for their right to be themselves and be treated with respect. Their courage was a turning point. The very next year, in 1970, people marched in the streets to celebrate this bravery and to show they were proud of who they were. That's how the first Pride parades began. Today, those parades have grown into celebrations all over the world. I am there in the colorful flags and the happy crowds, helping people celebrate their identities and show the world that it's wonderful to be exactly who you are.