We Are Unapologetically Alive

In a time when LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalized communities are being pushed to the margins through legislation, misinformation, and fear, Heart of Winona refuses to disappear.

We are unapologetically alive, showing up for one another with care, joy, and collective power. Our existence is not a trend, a debate, or a bargaining chip. It is a fact. And our communities deserve to live fully, safely, and openly.

This year, as Heart of Winona celebrates two years of building community care in Winona, we recommit to what has always guided us: community saves lives. Together, we are not just surviving, we are living.

What We Built Together in 2025

Because of our community’s support in 2025, Heart of Winona made tangible, life-affirming impact across Southeast Minnesota:

Created and sustained affirming community spaces where LGBTQIA+ people could gather safely and authentically
Hosted PrideFest 2025 that centered queer and trans joy, resistance, and belonging for over 550 attendees
Expanded community-led programming that connected people to resources, community giving, and one another
Strengthened partnerships with 11 local organizations and 30 volunteers
Showed up again and again when our community needed connection, care, and solidarity most

Each gathering, conversation, and act of care sent a clear message: we are here, and we matter.

Why This Work Must Continue

The need did not disappear with Pride month.
The attacks did not stop when the year ended.
And our community cannot afford for this work to pause.

Across our region, LGBTQIA+ people, especially trans and gender-expansive people, queer youth, and those facing multiple forms of marginalization, continue to experience isolation, hostility, and barriers to safety and support.

Unapologetically Alive is our commitment to meet this moment head-on.

Our FY26 Commitment

Through this campaign, Heart of Winona will continue to:

Create affirming spaces that prioritize safety, joy, and belonging
Invest in community care, mutual support, and connection
Center LGBTQIA+ voices in local visibility, advocacy, and cultural change
Sustain Pride beyond a single event, carrying its energy throughout the year
Protect our community’s right to exist openly and without apology

This is not just programming.
This is survival. This is joy. This is resistance.

How You Can Help

Your support makes it possible for Heart of Winona to remain a constant presence in uncertain times.

When you give, you are saying:

LGBTQIA+ lives are worth fighting for
Community care is powerful
Joy is not optional, it is essential

Together, we can ensure that LGBTQIA+ people in Winona and its surrounding areas are not forced to hide, minimize, or apologize for who they are.

We are unapologetically alive, and we’re not going anywhere.

Unapologetically Alive 2026

By Heart of Winona

Unapologetically Alive 2026

Community is Resistance