As we continue celebrating Pride Month here at the Obama Foundation, we also want to lift up the voices of individuals who are passionate about LGBTQ issues and progress. Stories of understanding and hope have poured in from all corners of the globe and we wanted to share with you a few of our favorites. We hope you’re as inspired by them as we are.

“I am originally from Benin, West Africa. I was raised in a very religious and conservative family. When I moved to the United States in 2007, I had a hard time understanding LGBTQ communities. My wife encouraged me to embrace diversities in a simple way. She told me to think about how we feel as Muslims when we get discriminated against, and how important fighting for equality is for her as a Muslim woman who wears her hijab everyday and faces discrimination. That helped me realize that accepting one another for who we are is the core of American values.”
—Ganiyou G., Chicago, IL

“My dedication to social justice came from growing up as a non-binary trans person in a tiny, conservative village in Ohio. Working as an LGBTQ organizer for the last five years has shown me just how possible changing hearts and minds really is. My passions within my work are training and deep canvassing as they are both acutely focus on human connection and investment.”
—Lindsey C., Swanton, OH

“I am a passionate LGBTQ rights advocate, and I grew up in a small, conservative city in southeast Mexico. For eleven years now, I have been committed to inspiring and empowering the LGBTQ community in my country, helping others see that sexual orientation and gender identity are not at all a disadvantage or a weak spot unless you make them so.”
—Enrique T. M., Mexico City, Mexico

You can also see more of the Obama Administration’s work on equality and social progress here.