PRIDE (in the name of love & other good stuff)

PRIDE was born of protest. Riots. The necessity to love & be who we are without fear of reprisal, judgement, criminality, violence, or death. In many places, PRIDE is now a celebration. A place where queer, rainbow, & LGBTQIA+ people & those who love them (go the allies!) can be seen, heard, & embraced for simply being who they are. As a queer person, my journey to self-acceptance has been a life-long one. I didn’t come out until my mid-thirties & when I came out I came out ready to do whatever I could to be seen, heard, & to support others to be their authentic selves. Whether it was in boardrooms, ballrooms, greenrooms, or in the public eye - my mission has been a simple one: to be seen so that others might see themselves represented in positive, optimistic, & loving ways. Being a queer kid in small towns, big cities, or in places where queerness is literally illegal means that so many folks around the world need voices, faces, & ideas that reinforce to them that they are enough. As they are, as they will be… as they always have been. Society is great at telling us what to hide about ourselves, my life is dedicated to the opposite. I’m certain that my only job on this planet is to show love, be love, share love & invite love into this world. This week’s Kindness Warriors episode is one that celebrates PRIDE, queerdom, rainbow allies, & everyone out there who knows that love truly is love.  To anyone struggling with self-acceptance or finding a community: let this be a love note to you. You’re welcome here, with us. Always. A huge thanks goes out to this week’s guests. Folks who, when I put out the call (or dropped into their DMs) sent through their thoughts on what PRIDE means to them whole-heartedly & without hesitation. You’re all heroes in my eyes.And, in my heart. Happy PRIDE, whānau. Let’s stretch the season out into every season. Let’s double-down on lifting up others. This week’s guests are Cheley Tackett: singer, songwriter, sister Janis Vogel: life coach, epic creative  Hunter Kelly: author, radio host, soul-brother Clare Cheyne: sister, ally, documentarian Emily Scott Robinson: singer, songwriter, sister with the best laugh! Madeline Finn: singer, songwriter, baby shark Laura LaBarbera: my best friend & soul mate  Haylie Craig: creative legend, inspiring human Dani Fennessy: sister, media personality Alice Soper: writer, host, rugby-mad sis Brooke Berry: host, creative, guru, a friend for the ages