There is so much to finally celebrate. I am full of new-administration glee. Images of President Biden swiftly ending the four-year brutal war on the LGBTQ+ community by executive order dance in my head, Vice President Kamala Harris standing amongst the glittering shards of glass ceiling swearing in the new Democratic senators from Georgia, Pete Buttigieg thanking his magnificent husband, Chasten Buttigieg, at his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Transportation — all stunning salves after four years of savagery.

But as the admonition drilled into me as a young boy goes, “never forget.” I shall never forget the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the rise of the Confederacy, the eruption of the long-festering civil war, the coup orchestrated by now-former President Donald Trump and his gang of lawless lawmakers.

It was terrifying to watch, especially for those of us who are other.

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With Love,

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Author(s)

  • Richie Jackson is the author of the book Gay Like Me published by HarperCollins, an opinion columnist for The Advocate, and an award-winning Broadway, television, and film producer who produced the Tony Award-nominated Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song on Broadway and executive produced Showtime’s Nurse Jackie (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee for “Best Comedy Series”) for seven seasons. As an alumnus of NYU, he endows a program at his alma mater to train the next generation of LGBTQ+ activists called the Richie Jackson LGBTQ+ Service Fellows. He and his husband, Jordan Roth, were honored with The Trevor Project’s Trevor Hero Award. They are the proud parents of two extraordinary sons.