By standing in our truth, we affirmed our value and asserted our inalienable right to exist. By marching en masse we were saying: We are not invisible. We are unmistakably real. We are not second-class citizens, but equal and open to all human experience. We do not accept or deserve disdain or abuse. We are human beings, not shuffling or bent, but erect, proud, and standing tall. We are citizens of this nation who have a right to be heard and have a right to fully participate. We were saying we would not be intimidated anymore. We are different, but we are equal.
