From the Editor: Pride and Joy

Jessica Hunter

On a breezy spring day, a group representing different stories within this very Pride issue gathered at Dobbins Landing to stand together in pride, representing Erie's LGBTQIA+ community.

Our cover this Pride month is particularly wonderful because it combines three stories that appear within this issue. A one-on-one interview with the new director of Erie Arts and Culture, Susannah Faulkner (who was also an honoree in our 2023 40 Under 40 Class), a feature on Aging with Pride and the work that group has done throughout generations and what they are currently doing to give older LGBTQIA+ folks a place to belong, and a look at four local queer artists finding expression through their individual media.

And they're all standing strong and proud together on a hand-painted mural with all of Erie behind them. That feels like a metaphor.

Also within this issue, local advocate and City Councilperson Tyler Titus takes a look at the current presidential administration's stance on queer folks (particularly the trans community), how Erie can better serve the safety of our trans population, how the cruelty exacted towards trans people nationally can be mitigated locally, and how we can use our city's sanctuary status to truly save lives. We can work towards an Erie that truly stands behind them.

Within the Aging With Pride feature, one member of the group, Laurie Finch stated, "Our whole lives we fought for rights, for marriage equality, and we thought we had it taken care of for the younger generation but it looks like the fight needs to continue." And while there will always be some measure of work that needs to be done, it feels now that the mountain of hate that has been directed towards LGBTQIA+ folks looms large. Those members of Aging With Pride will continue to do the work to uplift and support the lives of younger generations. They are there, standing behind them.

And then there is art – the creative support that stands underfoot. This month, Julia Carden interviewed four local LGBTQIA+ artists (Gaby Apollo Reyes and Austin Kulyk aka Pissi Gabune as featured on our cover, as well as Marcy Hall and Eric Anthony Berdis, also a 40 Under 40 alum) and how they found community and belonging through their art. What art is, ultimately, is self-expression – whether that is discovering one's self within art or proclaiming it – to the world, and arguably most importantly, to other queer folks, showing them that their voice matters and deserves to be heard. Those artists are here, standing behind them and creating the art beneath their feet.

Ultimately, what our cover this month celebrates is queer joy. And whether that joy is found through expression, through art, through advocacy, or through companionship, where it is ultimately found is here – in our city – standing behind them and under their feet, in full colorful support.