As Pride month wraps up, I find myself reflecting on how Pride is really a lifelong journey, not just a one-month celebration. This past month has been a great opportunity for me to celebrate, connect with friends, and do some self-reflection.

What’s really filled me with joy and hope is seeing all the different ways people around the world have been celebrating Pride. Did you know the Pride parade in São Paulo, Brazil is said to draw over 3 million people? That’s just mind-blowing to me – I can’t even imagine being part of a crowd that massive, all united in Pride. It must be such an incredible, powerful experience.

And get this – 24,000 people joined the Johannesburg Pride march last year! That a Pride event in Africa could attract so many participants is really encouraging to me. It shows how queer are demanding their rights in all corners of the globe.

At first, when I was reading about these huge, glitzy Pride events, I couldn’t help but feel like a “real” Pride celebration had to be big and glamorous – thousands of people, sparkles, dancing in the streets. But then I remembered the intimate Pride gathering I got to be part of with 13 other queer women in Addis Ababa. That was just as special and meaningful to me, maybe even more so. It made me realize that Pride isn’t about the scale or extravagance – it’s about creating those precious connections with our LGBTQ+ community, and having a space where we can be our full selves without holding back.

The biggest takeaway for me is that Pride isn’t just a month-long thing – it’s an everyday practice of embracing who I am and making space for other queer people. As this Pride month draws to a close, I’m reminding myself that it’s also a fresh start. We’ve got a whole year ahead to keep shining, celebrating, and living our truth.