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San Francisco Pride represents a community of people who choose to call the San Francisco Bay Area home. We have chosen to be here whether seeking safety in community or the possibilities of what our futures might hold. We are the community who championed our freedom to love. We are the community who uplifts the beauty and fullness of our gender and sexual orientation intersecting with our race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability – all of our identities. As we look among ourselves in community, we see that our work is to create a community where we feel welcomed and loved by each other even as we identify with seemingly opposed affinities.

Our hearts are heavy with grief for the Palestinians and Israelis whose lives have been damaged or destroyed by violence, whether physical, psychological, or emotional. In the magnitude of the conflict in Gaza, we must remember who we are as a community, both locally and globally. In these times of profound sorrow, we echo the cries of the world in calling for peace and unity. The continued war and genocide in Gaza are marked by tens of thousands of lives lost including many children. As urged by the United Nations and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, we urgently echo the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.  

As the SF Pride community, we know that living in and protecting our freedom to be, express, and love ourselves and each other are central to the community we co-create. Love is the answer. Love can be revolutionary and transformational. And in these times of war and violence, SF Pride calls for an immediate activation of a comprehensive plan for resolution, restoration, and reparation. We choose to lead for queer liberation with compassion and unity – to create and preserve safety for ourselves, for each other, and for our communities. Our liberation is an act of love, and our quest for collective freedom binds us to one another.

Dehumanization is rampant in our governments, media, and communities: we reject this. We are witness to the abuse of power in our communities: we reject this. We reject narratives that pit us against each other. Instead, we choose to turn to the love that we can foster together. In these challenging times, SF Pride will maintain that love and liberation must be interwoven in our pursuit of freedom. Our city, a sanctuary for the queer community, epitomizes the power of love and resilience in the face of global injustices.

Together, we are committed to building spaces of healing, understanding, and acceptance – a sanctuary that uplifts the fullness of our identities and makes space for us to live and love freely and without threat of harm and violence. SF Pride chooses to shine brightly as a symbol of hope and solidarity, united in our dance against injustice everywhere. We believe we are a beacon for the world.

Let us be a Beacon of Love.

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