Celebrating Pride with Defiant Joy: Stonewall, Marriage Equality, and the Work Ahead

In this heartfelt group episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie brings together three powerful changemakers to reflect on the anniversaries of Marriage Equality and the Stonewall Uprising. Through stories that span decades of activism, personal transformation, and community celebration, these leaders explore the deep roots of LGBTQ+ resistance—and the power of joy, love, and play to push movements forward. Whether you're in philanthropy, advocacy, or simply seeking inspiration, this episode is a rallying cry for authentic belonging and courageous allyship.

Key Takeaways:

• The LGBTQ+ movement has always blended resistance with celebration, using protest as a form of joyful defiance rather than just rage.
• Pride is still fundamentally a march and a protest, not just a parade or party, and remains rooted in the ongoing fight for full liberation.
• Many LGBTQ+ nonprofits are under threat from political pressure and reduced corporate support, increasing the urgency for direct community donations.
• Belonging is a human right, not something to be earned, and systemic discrimination often aims to strip people of that sense of belonging.
• Storytelling is a crucial way to preserve LGBTQ+ history, especially as political and cultural forces try to erase or distort it.
• Joy, love, and play are not breaks from justice work but vital tools for sustainability and cultural change within activism.
• Intersectional solidarity across marginalized communities strengthens all movements and counters efforts to divide and isolate struggles. The LGBTQ+ movement gives us an example of what that looks like and how powerful it can be.
• The history of LGBTQ+ philanthropy and activism stretches far before Stonewall and includes key figures whose legacies risk being forgotten without intentional preservation.

"Belonging is a right that people have, an