by Chris Azzzopardi
(Chris Azzopardi is editorial director of Pride Source, which publishes the Detroit area’s Between The Lines newspaper. The following piece was published on November 7, 2024, and appears here with permission.)

The days following the election have been filled with raw emotion — frustration, sadness, uncertainty and fear for the future. For many in our LGBTQ+ community, including the Pride Source staff, this recent election left us reeling. Navigating such a turbulent landscape, we struggled to process what lay ahead.

Yet in the midst of that turmoil, our team of journalists — managing editor Sarah Bricker Hunt, staff content creator Liam Clymer and contributor Jordyn Bradley, among them — kept doing what they do best: reporting with integrity, compassion and commitment. I commend them and their work, as they cover topics close to the heart.

Their work, covering the election’s fallout and its long-term impacts, is vital for guiding our community through these uncertain times. In these early, chaotic days, they pressed forward, delivering stories that inform, elevate and unite us — even when it may have felt easier to retreat into silence.

During our editorial meeting the morning after the election, I felt like a deflated balloon and was overwhelmed with emotion, struggling to find the words to capture the weight of it all. 

Personally, I kept thinking back to the hope I felt when I went to the White House earlier this year, invited by the Biden-Harris administration for the annual Pride picnic — an invitation I don’t expect to see again for at least four years.

As those thoughts swirled in my mind, we spoke openly about the emotional toll of this moment and the difficult balance between self-care and the urgency of our work. It was a vulnerable conversation that reminded me how deeply our shared values and commitment to community run.

At Pride Source, we understand our role isn’t just about reporting the facts; it is about amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, providing clarity and helping us stay informed in a time when information can feel as fractured as the world around us. Journalism at this moment isn’t just about sharing stories — it’s about sharing our stories and helping us see ourselves in the larger narrative of our community.

As we continue to navigate these turbulent times, it’s crucial to remember that this is your source for LGBTQ+ journalism, a resource created by, for and about us. More than ever, we are committed to telling stories that reflect our collective journey, highlighting the voices of those who have been historically marginalized and continue to be, and making sure that diverse experiences focused on the entire scope of the LGBTQ+ community are represented. We are not just a publication; we are a community-driven space where we find pieces of ourselves within each other’s stories.

In this spirit, we invite you to share your voice with us. Whether it’s a story of joy, struggle, activism or triumph, we want to amplify it. The strength of our community lies in our shared experiences.

No matter what, we will always have our stories. We will share them, proudly and triumphantly. And together, we will keep moving forward.

GUEST COMMENTARY
Volume 26
Issue 11