Pride OKC

This weekend marks the annual OKC Pride festival and parade, an annual event that has been going on since 1987. The festival has gotten larger each other, this one being the biggest Pride in OKC to date. There was a weeks worth of festivities leading up to the parade tonight at 6:00. These included a constant stream of local food trucks, a beer garden, booths selling work by local artists, and live music. Despite the need for increased security following the Orlando shooting, the Pride festival has been a success. The festival is not only a source of entertainment, but a place of solidarity, support, and safety for the LGBTQIA community. Along with the food, drinks, and artwork, the festival included a symposium for the second year in a row. This year's symposium was about Mental Health, Education and Prevention. Topics touched on were the psychiatry of gender identity, health issues among the transgender community, and how to create a safe space for young people. Experts on gender diversity also shared their stories and advice as well as services available to LGBTQIA people in the area. I think this is such a cool thing to incorporate in this festival. I believe educating and informing others on topics regarding equality is essential to achieving equality and normalizing the topic. It is also so important for these youth to know that they are by no means alone, and that there are thousands just like them as well as thousands of allies standing behind them. I am proud that there are strong and selfless people willing to work for this festival, which not only benefits the LGBTQIA community but also local businesses and artists. This week, I am proud to be an Oklahoman. Today also marks the one year anniversary of marriage equality being passed nationwide, which is something I didn't know if I would see in my lifetime. I am so wonderfully surprised at the progress that has been made not just in Oklahoma but nationwide, and I look forward to the further progress to come. Love is love. And love always wins.

Sunday Morning

After a fitful night of sleep, I woke up to the tragic news that a mass shooting had occurred. Unfortunately, living in America this kind of news headline has almost lost its shock value. I'm hardly surprised when I see that another shooting has occurred at a school or university. I was however shocked to find out that this was the largest mass shooting in American history. Fifty people were killed at a gay club while even more were injured and hospitalized. While speculations about terror involvement are being made, the father of the shooter himself said that just weeks earlier his son was disgusted by the sight of two men kissing. He all but called it a hate crime, which from what I can tell is exactly what this was. I am heartbroken that in 2016, hate crimes are still a daily occurrence. I am devastated that so many have died and been persecuted simply for being themselves. And I am angry that so many people deny that gun violence is a real, threatening issue to our country. I will never, ever believe that the solution to gun violence is more guns. We need gun control now more than ever, and we need love. Hate only breeds more hate, and our country has been a breeding ground for hate for far too long.