Happy Pride Month, y’all!

This month has already been filled with incredible moments — concerts, art exhibits, fundraisers, protests — and above all, the joy of being in community with one another. It’s been powerful to celebrate Pride in so many ways, and we’re especially looking forward to this upcoming weekend’s Pride 365 Festival and Parade. We hope you’ll stop by our booth, say hello and cheer us on during the parade! And for those joining us at Sunday’s Pride Brunch, we can’t wait to celebrate with you there, too.

Throughout the month, I’ve found myself reflecting not only on the history of Pride but on the future we are building together.

At a time when our civil rights — especially those of trans and nonbinary people — are under attack in Texas and across the country, this Pride Month is a powerful reminder that Pride has always been more than a parade. It is a commemoration of acts of resistance that ignited a movement for LGBTQ+ liberation. That struggle continues, with organizations like Equality Texas, TENT, Lambda Legal and the ACLU fighting daily to protect and defend our rights.

When our queer ancestors rose up in the 1960s and ’70s, I like to believe that their resistance was also rooted in hope — a dream of a brighter, freer future. At the Montrose Center, we hold fast to that dream. We believe in a future where our identities are not just tolerated but celebrated — every day of the year. A future where coming out is met not with fear but with joy, support and a sense of belonging. A future where LGBTQ+ elders can age with dignity, and every member of our community can access the resources they need to thrive. A future where all of us — in our full, intersectional identities — are seen, valued and respected not in spite of who we are but because of it.

This Pride Month, I invite you to take a moment to imagine that future. Maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of it at a community event: in the laughter, the joy, the awe of someone experiencing Pride for the first time; in the power of local organizations marching side by side; in the shared resilience that pulses through our parade floats and on our dance floors. Yes, we have more battles to fight — but we also have so much to celebrate.

And when June turns to July, and attention shifts back to the urgent work of the moment, I hope you’ll stop by the Montrose Center. Our vision of a thriving queer future doesn’t end when the Pride Month glitter settles — we work toward it every day. From community events that foster connection to volunteer opportunities that offer meaningful ways to give back, and from mental health therapy, HIV testing and care, and counseling to economic empowerment — no matter your age, no matter where you are on your journey, we are here to walk alongside you.

If you share our vision, I invite you to help us build that thriving queer future by making a gift to our Together in Pride campaign or by amplifying our message by creating your own fundraising page to rally your network. Every contribution — whether financial or through spreading awareness — helps us provide vital services and support to LGBTQ+ individuals and families throughout the year.

With pride and solidarity,

Avery Belyeu
Chief Executive Officer
The Montrose Center