Skip to main content
Morris Young
He/Him
Who you are, who you like. It's a family of its own.
Jenn Burleton
She/Her
Visibility, empowerment and fighting for a better future for our trans children.
Foster
He/They
Pride means I'm not defined by what others think of me. I get to tell my own story. Since I came out as nonbinary trans, the meaning of my life and how I related to the world has changed dramatically. Trans is not short for "transition" or even "transformation": It is a process of becoming.
Paola De la Cruz
She/Her
Pride allows me to be my most authentic self! It reminds me that love is universal, and it takes many forms. As a bisexual woman with a lot of love to give, Pride encourages me to overwhelm people with my love and gratitude.
Daniel Bidwell
Mr.
Pride is living openly and being proud to be yourself. Hopefully encouraging others to live their lives openly as well.
Amity Giveus
She
Unity, freedom, a deeper love.
Jae Siqueiros
He/Him/His
Love, solidarity and community.
Pride, to me, means that I am safe and loved within my community.
Evan Parcher
He/Him
Feeling no shame —doing whatever makes me happy without worrying about judgement or hate. Wearing pink as a strong man!
Thomas Garwood
He/Him
Visibility without expectations.
Kennedy Barrera-Cruz
She/Her/Hers
Being happy.
Maia Buzbee
They/Them
Pride means thank you to Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.
Kitty KariAll
She/Her
Freedom to live as my authentic self.
Johnah Garcia
He/Him/His
Being proud of who I am and not regretting coming out. I'm proud of who I've grown up to be. Sure, there have been moments of sadness and doubts, but at the end of the day, I remind myself I've always been this way and I'm much happier. I'm proud of myself and looking forward to more growing.
Jacob Summers
They/Them
Pride to me means a time of reflecting on the sacrifices and struggle of the generations before me and, in turn, remind myself to always live my authentic self. Living your authentic self not only helps you mentally and spiritually but helps the community by creating a safe place for others.
Bolivia Carmichaels
She/Her
Pride is taking pride in yourself, your community and the world. Be confident! Be proud of who you are! Stand tall and let your authenticity show.
Jodi Darby
She/Her
When I think about pride, a lot of things come up for me. The way people in this country treat LGBTQIA folks has changed a lot in my lifetime—from when I was a queer kid to when I was struggling to come out to now. And that is a wonderful thing to witness. But also, I think queer folks, especially white queers, have to step up and support queers of color. Trans women of color are being murdered in this country, and that isn't being talked about. Queer liberation is liberation for everyone. And if it isn't, it's an uncomfortable party to go to. We can't relax into feeling like we've won, or we're done and we can just stop fighting.
Evan Bond Martin
They/Them
Unapologetic authenticity!
Cathy Martin
She/Her
It's 2019. I could not have even imagined being the person I am today (married, two adopted kids) back when I came out in 1975.
Peachy Springs
She
Being able to wear a gown and heels while living in a city that rarely bats an eye.
George T. Nicola
He/Him
I realized I was gay in the late 1950s, but we were such pariahs, I was afraid to talk to anyone about it. Even into the late 1960s in Oregon and most of the country, we were criminalized by the state, branded as immoral by most religious groups, and classed as mentally disordered by the mental health profession.
It was a huge relief for me when the Portland Gay Liberation Front was launched in 1970. I worked hard to better our condition. So did countless other LGBTQ+ people and our straight cisgender allies. Among other challenges, we had to battle Oregon's 35 anti-gay ballot measures, almost surely more than any other state.
But as a result of our efforts, we have made huge advances, including full civil rights under Oregon law, and an increasing acceptance by families. We still face problems, such as a lack of equality and protection on the federal level, the fact that 40 percent of homeless kids are LGBTQ+, and enormous homophobia and transphobia that sometimes leads to violence and job loss.
So we have to keep up the struggle. But when I go downtown on Pride weekend and see tens of thousands of people proudly celebrating their LGBTQ+ identities, supported by our allies, I am overwhelmed. These are people of every race and class, from a broad range of ages and abilities. It tells me we have accomplished an enormous amount despite horrendous obstacles, and that people whose lives might at one time been made miserable can now be filled with joy. That is what Pride means to me.
How a Classified Ad in an Underground Newspaper Ignited Portland's LGBTQ Rights Movement
Eight Portland LGBTQ Nonprofits