This summer marks a new chapter for me personally and professionally. I’ve just returned from parental leave after welcoming our daughter, Nina, into the world. Becoming her mother has deepened my commitment to this work in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Every night when I hold her, I’m reminded why this fight matters — because every child, every family, deserves to live in a world where they are safe, free and celebrated.

And as joyful as this moment is, I know it comes during one of the most challenging summers our movement has faced in years.

In a devastating decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in U.S. v. Skrmetti that Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth does not violate the Constitution. That ruling effectively strips essential healthcare from trans teens and opens the door for similar bans in dozens of states. It is a direct assault on our community — and a painful reminder that progress is never guaranteed.

And just 10 years after Obergefell v. Hodges secured marriage equality nationwide, our opponents are once again openly calling for that hard-won right to be overturned. Former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis is using her legal appeal as a vehicle to argue that Obergefell was “egregiously wrong.” That case now sits at the court’s doorstep — and as of today, they hadn’t yet decided if they were going to be taking it up.

These are not isolated attacks. They are part of a coordinated effort to dismantle our freedoms — in legislatures, in courtrooms, and from the highest levels of government. Each move is designed to make us fearful, invisible and silent.

And yet — I remain hopeful. Not naïve, but clear-eyed about where our power lies.

Marriage equality is still the law of the land. A bipartisan supermajority of Americans support it. And our movement has never stopped innovating or fighting back. We fought for — and won — the Respect for Marriage Act, ensuring federal protections for same-sex couples. We are organizing, storytelling, mobilizing and pushing back at every level.

That’s why we launched the American Dreams Tour this summer.

For decades, our movement has leaned on litigation and elections to advance progress. And we’ve won extraordinary gains with those tools. But the truth is, courts can be stacked. Elections can be lost. Laws can be undone with the stroke of a pen. What cannot be undone is our cultural impact — how people see us, know us and stand with us.

The far-right is saturating the airwaves with lies about LGBTQ+ people. If we don’t fill that space with truth, authenticity and love, it will be filled by hate. That’s why this tour matters.

We’re showing up in red states and blue states, in small towns and big cities, amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies on the ground. We’re telling the truth about who we are, what we’ve endured and what we’re building together. We’re connecting our stories to the broader American promise of freedom and belonging. From Stonewall to Obergefell, our stories have always been the spark that lights the path forward. This is the next chapter.

So yes — this summer has been a challenge. But it has also been a season of resilience, recommitment and power. With Becky, Izaiah, and now Nina by my side, I feel more grounded than ever in the truth that our families, our futures and our freedom are worth fighting for.

I can’t wait for you to see what’s ahead — on the American Dreams Tour, in our organizing, in our cultural work and in our communities. Together, we are not just defending what we’ve won — we are building the future our children deserve.

With love and solidarity,