<p><em>A message from Peggy Hayes DignityUSAs Development Committee Chair:</em></p><p>We usually write to you about what&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;<em>does</em>. As we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month and kick off our Pride Appeal we want you to think about what&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;<em>is</em>.&nbsp;</p><p>We as&nbsp;DignityUSA are community even family. We are a voice proclaiming truths too long silenced. We are church. We are leaders in the LGBTQ+ justice movement. We might be where you met your true love where you celebrated your marriage where you were joyfully welcomed as your true self. What are we to you?&nbsp;</p><p>Will you mark Pride Month by giving to&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;today?&nbsp;<strong><a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=71&amp;source=NewsPiece>Share the abundance of community and love and help us spread it far and wide in every community in United States and around the world!&nbsp;</a></strong></p><p>To me&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;-- meaning all our Chapters Caucuses Members Friends and supporters like you is rich and diverse a prophetic blessing to those associated with us to our church and to the larger world.&nbsp;We are liberation healing and inspiration. We are deep loving relationships that span time and distance.&nbsp;<strong>We are Pride Power and Persistence of hope.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>This was never clearer to me than a few months ago in the aftermath of the Vaticans proclamation banning priests from blessing same-sex couples. In our public statements and in the Town Meetings that brought hundreds together to share their response&nbsp;<strong>Dignity members demonstrated that we have already claimed the ability to bless ourselves and each other to recognize and affirm the wholeness and holiness of our lives and our loving.</strong>&nbsp;Further we understood our responsibility to share that message with those shaken by the pronouncement and those whose lives and safety were threatened by this pronouncement.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>This was one of the proudest moments in my long association with Dignity.&nbsp;</p><p>Our work our affirming communities are transforming peoples sense of themselves and their relationship with the Divine.&nbsp;<strong><a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&amp;id=71&amp;source=NewsPiece>Will you give to our work with a&nbsp;Pride Month&nbsp;donation of $10 or more&nbsp;and help us reach more people?&nbsp;</a></strong></p><p>As we mark Pride 2021 know that your participation in and support of&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;makes a difference. We are proud and grateful that you are part of our community and our mission. I hope you feel the same.&nbsp;</p><p>Thank you for your support! Happy Pride Month!</p><p>Peggy Hayes&nbsp;<br>Development Committee Chair</p><p>P.S. Please check out&nbsp;our&nbsp;website&nbsp;<a href=https://www.facebook.com/DignityUSA/>Facebook</a>&nbsp;<a href=https://www.instagram.com/dignityusa/?hl=en>Instagram</a> or&nbsp;<a href=https://twitter.com/DignityUSA>Twitter</a>&nbsp;throughout June to hear from a variety of people about why they are proud to be part of&nbsp;DignityUSA! Feel free to also share your pride in&nbsp;DignityUSA&nbsp;on social media with the&nbsp;hashtag&nbsp;<strong>#DignityPride</strong>. Or submit your own photo and share what DignityUSA means to you <a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/content/celebrate-pride-send-us-your-photo>here.</a></p>