While Black History Month gives us the opportunity to highlight some of the great Black activists whose shoulders we stand on, LID is proud to honor, learn from, and carry on the legacies of Black Queer people every month and every day. From Marsha P. Johnson, who stood up, marched, and amplified the voices of trans women everywhere, to great authors like Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, and Angela Davis, who were vocal champions for our community, and famous queer civil rights activists Pauli Murray and Bayard Rustin, who were key players in the civil rights movement, our vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ community is what it is today because of these queer Black pioneers.

Today, we are reminded that Black history is our history -- from the activists in the streets calling for justice and the essential workers keeping New York going, to the legislators in Albany and Washington, D.C. fighting for a better future for us all. Together, we celebrate Black History Month and Black Lives.