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Ask Pride 2021
Happy Pride to all of you! If you know anything about me by now, its how much I enjoy a good acronym. As we celebrate, I’d like us to ponder these few thoughts on ways that may help strengthen the community and bring us even closer to true equality and togetherness.
P- Protection in Numbers
The countless lives lost sensibly to violence to this day infuriates me. It paralyzes you momentarily and then almost immediately launches you to action. Demanding justice, equality and adequate healthcare among many other basic humane & civil rights will forever be the larger focus but imagine- what if we could defend the community with safety and protection in numbers as well? Back when I used to attend religious events, the expectation was that we’d all spend a lot of our free time together. I was clearly out of place and continued to attend becausewell, it was my prerogative. I quickly became the target of a lot of aggressive, abusive and overall negative behavior. Being that I enjoyed attending these events, I continued to endure this hate and it ate me alive until one day, I realized why I was always being targeted. It was because I was always alone. An army of one and an extremely easy target. I can only imagine how many times we find ourselves viewed as “easy targets” simply because we’re walking, commuting or innocently traveling alone. I will not excuse the bad behavior of others but if I can encourage us all to find solace in groups where possible, I certainly will.
R- Restoration of The Mind
While I’m down for a drink and a dance
party like anyone else, let’s also spend time this
month reflecting on our “why”. Why are you motivated to push for change? Why do you feel pain/loss or even excitement during this time? Why are you striving to be your best self? Anytime we celebrate forward movement and having life in our bodies, I think its only right to honor where we’ve been. Restore your mind this month by releasing any toxic motivation you may not have realized you had and move to the next level of your journey with a clear understanding of what your desired outcome is. If everyone practices this regularly as an individual, imagine how powerful we would be as a whole?
I- Investments
What are your financial goals? Are you writing them down? Great! I say that to say this: be sure to begin investing in yourself if you haven’t already. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during this pandemic, its how to manage & save money even better than I was previously. If its possible for you to generate multiple streams of income, I’d definitely encourage you to and here’s why. How many times have we experienced a friend or member of the community in need who has been refused support from their own relatives? If we strengthen ourselves financially as individuals first, then it solidifies that no one else will be left behind. Do what you can for others when you can but remember, we are all indebted to each other.
D- Dare To Stand Out
When I think of the word “proud”, I think chest out and head high. I think boisterous and bold but of course, I mostly think fearless. We’ve touched on a few heavy topics and even though we’ve briefly discussed them; they’re very realistic, longstanding concerns for any one
