June is Pride Month, which is to honor and commemorate the struggles for civil rights faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. It is a time for joy and celebration of the accomplishments of LGBTQIA+ peoples!
It is also upsetting that so much of what we shared last year at this time, which follows below, still applies. I urge each and every one of us to please consider what you can do to support everyone in our LGBTQIA+ community. It truly takes a village.
Thank you for joining in our efforts to do better and be better.
– Kali Baird, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This year, Pride Month holds an even greater meaning as we watch anti-gay and anti-trans legislation unfold across America. We are disheartened by recent legislation in several states that can be seen as a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ community. At San Domenico, as our Social Vision Statement notes, “We are a community of belonging where students, staff, and families are dedicated to inclusion and respect for all.”
Respect for all. What a simple and profound statement, and one that guides us as we continue to support and strive to enhance that sense of belonging for all of our students and families. Students reflect on belonging and how it is most important to belong to oneself while actively including others and advocating for kindness.
“No one will find the way out of hate and violence unless we do… There’s only one kind of anger that’s good for you and that’s anger against injustice. And remember there’s no such thing as false hope. We all have closets to come out if we are ever going to be free. Truth is a full-time job and intimacy a lifelong struggle. I promise you, all that will matter when you come to the end is how much you’ve managed to love and how much you’ve given back. Go without hate. Heal the world.”
Paul Monnete
“Love is not a feeling. It’s an action. It’s how I’m actively treating myself. It’s a set of actions that I take towards myself. It’s a set of actions that I take towards myself with the people in my life.”
Laverne Cox
Ask the questions. Connect with others. Demand better.
GLAAD suggests getting involved with organizations that are working to support the LGBTQI+ community: