Literacy KC is proud to support our LGBTQIA+ staff, students, volunteers, and community members this Pride month and beyond. June is monumentous for Pride: the first bricks were thrown at Stonewall by trans women of color in 1969, marriage equality was finally recognized in all 50 states in 2015, and 49 lives were taken in a homophobic massacre at the Pulse nightclub in 2016. This mixture of struggle and success, of heartache and bliss, illustrates what it is like to be a member of a marginalized community. That mouthful of letters that make up the LGBTQIA+ acronym represents a spectrum of individuals who are trying to exist authentically in a culture that may need to learn new words in order to comprehend them. Because Literacy KC’s mission is literacy for all, we are no stranger to learning and teaching new words. As such, we will strive for internal literacy and expanded vocabulary to make our organization an inclusive space for the LGBTQIA+ community.