Pride, Juneteenth, and the spirit of summer in Wisconsin
As the leader of a statewide, values-driven organization, this June brings me back to our pillars: Freedom, Safety, Justice, and Joy. And this year, those words feel especially urgent.
Summer is Our Season: Freedom, Pride & Power in Full Bloom
June in Wisconsin is delicious. The days are long, the lakefronts are full, the food is fire, and the energy in the streets feels alive with possibility. But this season isn’t just about sunshine and summer festivals—it’s about deep, layered truths. It’s Pride. It’s Juneteenth. It’s Father’s Day! It’s the reminder that freedom is something we fight for and celebrate.
While we gather for parades and cookouts, we also navigate a political environment that continues to attack our right to exist fully as our true selves. Queer and trans folks are under legislative assault. Black history is being whitewashed. DEI is being vilified. The people building the most power—predominantly Black, queer, rural, and youth-led movements—are being asked to do more with less.
As we move into the long summer days of Wisconsin, I want to remind us all (myself included) to find joy where we can.
Freedom to honor our ancestors with music, food, and resistance on Juneteenth
Safety to gather on porches, in parks, and in strategy sessions to dream bigger for Wisconsin
Justice to advocate for the rights of all marginalized people
Joy to dance in the streets during Pride, Juneteenth and just because we feel like it!
But above all, we are claiming this summer as ours. Not just to resist, but to revel. Not just to survive, but to shine.
So whether you’re marching in a Pride parade, going to a Juneteenth celebration, or organizing your block for safety and solidarity, know this: You are part of a movement rooted in love and liberation.
You prove that Freedom, Safety, Justice, and Joy are not abstract—they are alive and well in Wisconsin.
This is our season, Wisconsin!
We’re supporting local resilience communities across the state, where community members organize to protect one another, respond to threats, and hold space for joy and action.
We’re training narrative leaders to shift public understanding and amplify the truths being silenced.
We’re growing our online and offline movement infrastructure to make our values visible, viral, and grounded—whether responding to a crisis or building long-term power.
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