June 1, 2026
Personal Reflections
Today marks the first day of a very significant month, one that celebrates two very important things: Juneteenth and Pride Month.
June serves as another marker: we are halfway through 2026, which is also the halfway point America’s worst presidential administration.
Oh and next month is 4th of July and America’s 250th birthday!
This month, this moment is very significant. We must remain present in our communities and our activism for a better world.
Throughout May, I collected interviews for my Arts & Pride Month series and each offered insight that we need today. Two pieces of insight come to mind as I write this newsletter:
First, it is healthy for the human soul and makes us more well rounded people to engage in diverse art in our everyday lives. This could look like attending shows surrounding diverse things, watching movies about cultures other than your own, listening to music by artists of color or artists within the LGBTQ+ community, and so much more!
Without consciously crafting my current playlist to be diverse, I realize it is! My current playlist (or rather soundtrack) to my evening walks has been filled with artists including Michael Jackson, Etta James, Stevie Wonder, The Fugees, Prince, Beyoncé, Ray Charles, Ariana Grande, and other hits from various artists of color like “The Boy is Mine” and “Bust Your Windows.” I have found myself attracted to the vibrancy of this music and love the way each song has made me feel: empowered.
There is one song that I have played on repeat while writing today: Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us.” If you are not aware of it, I encourage you to watch both the prison version and then follow it up with the original — do it in that order and don’t worry about listening to the song twice because you will naturally want to do it anyways!
Knowing how socially and environmentally involved Michael was in his musicmaking and activism, I imagine that if he were still alive today that he would have released new versions of these music videos honoring Pride Month, Black Lives Matter, and much more, changing a lyric or two to honor each occasion.
Here is the second piece of insight: being a true ally in this moment of heavy polarization looks like being willing to stand in the back so that the spotlight can belong to the group at hand. This tackles on the “white savior” concept as well as all other concepts where stereotypical white and heterosexual people lift others up but still make it about them.
Personally, I can admit that I am still learning balance and seeking ways of intentionally getting myself out the way while using whatever voice or influence I have to celebrate others. I have found ways to spotlight others and kind of “get out of the way” in my own writing — I hope all my readers see that intention as we begin the Arts & Pride Month Conversation series this week!
We all have unique talents, interests, roles we play in this society, and power in all of that. My question for you is, how do you use your specific voice? Do you live in empowerment, community, and love? Whether you find yourself on stage or in the audience, your presence in this world matters and I believe that as long as you have breath in your lungs, you can be a part of making this world a better place.
This Week in the Arts
Coming up this week, I will be publishing three pieces in my JOLT Column including:
Arts & Pride Month Conversation Series: Jonah Barnett
South Puget Sound Community College Choirs to Perform Silent Film Soundtrack with Film Screening
A Personal Look at the Series at the Washington Center
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