It's the weekend...
…and it’s Pride weekend in NYC!
I couldn't figure out why I was so beyond tired until a few hours ago. In addition to the major heatwave, which meant crummy sleep, and a full office of staff this week, joyful and yet long days, I also wrapped up the studio move last Sunday, which meant prepping my house for days beforehand to ready for the move. And there were many trips to Sunset Park for my move as well as my studio mate's move (my tenant), and then again on Sunday after I was moved out, for the pickup of paintings that an artist had paid me to store.
In addition to karaoke with coworkers, another big treat this week has been Zohran Mamdani's victory in our Mayoral primary. Now to steel ourselves for all the hate and lies that will be thrown at him. The wealthy and the Islamophobes will do all they can to keep him down. We need his good vibes, ideas, compassion, and his coalition-building. I haven’t seen such energy in a race since Obama ran.
It dawned on me that this is the first weekend in a long time that I have no shoulds. Just wannas and gonna. And that feels like a vacation moment.
It's Pride weekend in NYC. I normally love June...and feast on Pride all month. This year, the most I've done was get to Rockefeller Center last week because it's one of the few places in NYC that had no problem hanging Pride flags. 47 has corporations, schools, politicians, and lots of folks running scared. In 2019, and again in 2021, I remember seeing a lot of businesses hanging Pride flags throughout the city. And every year since I began working in NYC, the US building across the street from the UN would drape many large Pride flags in its windows. But not this year. It’s heartbreaking. And at the same time, it shows us who our allies really are.
This year has been brutal. Every day, we are sliced open and bleed by another attack. Cruel. The hatred can get overwhelming.
I'm exhausted but grateful for tomorrow's Dyke March, and Sunday's Queer Liberation March. I need to move my body and scream with my Family… those who know what it’s like to be hated just for being you.
Happy Pride, all.
And thank you, Rockefeller Center
