From The Editor: Giving Your “Flowers”

Michelle Gunderson Bahr holding a "You Are Included" pride sign.
Photo by Randy Stern

Welcome to our 2024 Lavender Magazine Community Pride Awards issue!

This is the issue where we truly celebrate our community. We have a roster of recipients that have done a lot for our LGBTQ+ Community across Minnesota and beyond the state line and international border, all of which are worthy of this magazine’s praise.

All will be revealed in forthcoming pages, but let me break down who will be receiving their “flowers” from our magazine…

  • A leader in bringing LGBTQ+ real estate professionals together by supporting them even in challenging markets for us.
  • An organizer of mentors whose work is to uplift LGBTQ+ youth across Minnesota.
  • A trans teenager whose visibility is a beacon for other LGBTQ+ youth to live their authentic selves.
  • An ally who is the consummate volunteer for us from the biggest celebration of ourselves to a very important organization supporting our community.
  • Another leader who is helping to provide necessary mental health and support services to LGBTQ+ across our state for our youth.
  • A college student whose visibility helped bring home a championship to his institution.
  • One of our leading organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ with essential health services to all of us.
  • A small business that brings all communities together with sustainable food and products for everyday living.
  • A company that supports its LGBTQ+ employees in an industry you never knew we are visible in.

I bet you probably guessed who these worthy recipients of the 2024 Lavender Magazine Community Pride Awards. If you haven’t, go ahead and turn the page…

Before you do, let me tell you about giving “flowers” to some worthy people. As I look at who have received these awards in the past, they represent the movers and shakers in our community across this state. They have implemented programs, gathered people together, and created safe spaces for us to thrive.

They deserved their flowers. As have our past award recipients. As will our future award recipients.

Pride season is underway. Twin Cities Pride is just a couple of weeks away. After that, there are more local celebrations to attend. More communities coming together to celebrate themselves. It will not end until October.

These Pride celebrations take a village to execute these events. That is why volunteers are important. Who else will direct vendors to their spots, people into the celebration, put up signs, ferry musical acts and drag artists, make sure traffic is flowing, answer questions, and assist in situations that may arise during the few hours we celebrate together?

During LGBTQ+ Pride Month, we need all of you to stand up and be counted. When you do show up, you will get your flowers for being your authentic, unapologetic selves!

In closing, congratulations to the winners of this year’s Community Pride Awards! Celebrate our volunteers during Pride season – and year-round! And, keep up the good work!

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