Pride is so much more than a parade

Pride month is coming to a close.?

And honestly, both of us are feeling some type of way about it.?

Maybe it is the intense outpouring of anger and backlash we’ve seen increasingly on display this June towards queer communities, corporations celebrating pride, and in response to the content we’ve been sharing personally.

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Like this message that Jamie received just last week:

For the record - it wasn’t from a stranger - it was from someone Jamie previously worked with that hasn’t spoken to her in years, but felt the need to write to her directly and call her out for writing about pride and sharing about her queer identity publicly.

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Or maybe it is because last weekend, rather than feeling ready and eager to attend Seattle’s pride parade, Madeline was texting back and forth with folks from her queer community wondering about the potential safety risks of the event. With hatred and gun violence on what feels like a never-ending rise, in the end, it felt like the right move was to keep herself and her kids safe by staying home.

We recognize in the grand scheme of things - these moments are minor in the ethos of what many of those in our LGBTQ+ community have faced over the years, and we have had the privilege so far to stay protected from physical harm.

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And yet - most of the queer folks we connected with this pride season are feeling this same sense of heaviness and harm - the ongoing impact of the bold ways in which hate and ignorance have run especially rampant this past year as a result of the culture wars increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ people, particularly those from the trans community. The intention to other us, diminish us, erase us - all while claiming we are other - is intentional and orchestrated in nature, but it fails to eradicate the truth:?

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That queer people have been here all along, and we’re not going back into hiding.

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This is why pride must be about so much more than a parade or celebrating a single month out of the year. It has to be about cis & straight folks recognizing the privilege that comes from operating from a position that is deemed “normal” by society - and using it to push back and create space for other identities to be seen and heard. It is why on behalf of our queer families, and brothers and sisters in the BIPOC community as well, we implore you to fight back against this hatred and ignorance, every month of the year.?

Whether it is through standing up when you see comments like the one above, or by showing up at the local and state level to fight anti-LBTQ+ legislation, or sharing out content that demonstrates that you believe the identities of queer people matter - you have the power to make a difference and make the world better through your work.

In that vein, we’d encourage you to take time as the month ends to ask yourself these questions:

• What steps do you need to take in your business to make sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are being inclusive?
• What clients and employees do you need to hire (or fire) to make sure that happens?
• What vendors do you need to reconsider?
• How can you be more vocal in both action and words in support of the LGBTQ+ community??

For the sake of people like us, and even more so for the next generation coming into the workplace, start making changes now. Start doing what you know in your heart of hearts is the right and moral thing to do.?

Because frankly, we’d like to take a page out of the book of the person who sent Jamie that message. We’d like to see a world gone mad- a world where we’re all free to share the fullness of who we are. Let’s go completely off the rails. In the very best of ways.?

- Jamie Engelhardt & Madeline Reeves

Turning Allyship Into Action

We’ve shared this message all month long - but it bears repeating:?LGBTQ+ people need us to show our support through action, not just in June but all year long.

However, many of us are not sure where or how to turn our activism into action - which is exactly why the Human Rights Campaign put together this comprehensive guidebook. It offers a map of the harmfull bills that have been introduced in 40+ states, and key actions you can take from speaking up at a local school board meeting to reaching out to your state representatives.

Uplift - A New Community Space For Entrepreneurs

This past week we hosted an amazing networking event, and we left feeling energized and ignited by the authenticity and connections that were created by those that joined us. That spark inspired us to put together an online community space for our network to continue collaborating - and we’ve launched some ongoing opportunities for folks to share asks & offers, co-work together for accountability, and attend office hours to get feedback around areas like marketing and business development. Curious to check out what we’re creating?

If you’re anything like the founders and leaders we work with - the start of the summer season can be an eye-opening moment of realizing you might need some support to accomplish the goals you set forth for this year.

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The good news is that if you’re needing some support with branding, marketing, and business development - our team is here to help. Fearless Foundry is now available and booking projects for Q3 & Q4 to support clients with:

• Personalized coaching based on your specific needs?
• Brand strategy & identity
• Website design & implementation
• Marketing & social media strategy
• Copywriting & content creation
• Business development & go-to-market strategy

Interested in seeing how we can help you turn your ideas into action?