pride
We celebrate the LGBTQIA2S+ community and proudly launched the “Living with Pride” spoken word project for Pride Month, showcasing the personal journeys of Arizona LGBTQIA2S+ leaders through poetry.


The Essence of “Living with Pride”
The “Living with Pride” project features three short-form videos, each capturing a moving spoken word performance. These videos were shared weekly on our social media channels throughout June, offering a glimpse into the lived experiences of our community members. This project, directed by Victor E. Avila, our Director of Marketing and Community Engagement, emphasizes the importance of authentic storytelling in promoting inclusivity and understanding.
Stories Are Common Ground
“Living with Pride” gives a glimpse into the lived experiences of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals through a shared cultural art form that is as old as time, poetry. For members of the community, the renditions celebrate triumph and tenacity, and for anyone who listens to them, they are as honest as any human experience told through a story.

Engage with the “Living with Pride” Project
We invite you to watch and share the stories from our “Living with Pride” project. Engaging with these narratives contributes to a tapestry of shared human experiences that bring communities closer together. The full collection of videos is available on Spectrum Medical Care Center’s YouTube channel. To follow the “Living with Pride” project, please “like” us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Celebrate with us and discover the transformative power of spoken word poetry.
meet the poets

Eva Galindo
discovered newfound vulnerability through this project: “What surprised me most about this experience was learning that I was more vulnerable than I thought I was. You think that you have healed from certain things, but putting them on paper makes some old feelings surface. I hope my story helps others.”

Elijah Palles
emphasizes representation within the LGBTQIA2S+ community: “There are some parts of our community that feel underrepresented, and I do feel like my story will resonate with them.”

Thomas Slonaker
reflects on his journey of self-acceptance: “I learned a long time ago that anything can be overcome if you are secure in who you are, but channeling that experience into a poem is something I will never forget.”
Join Us in Celebrating Pride Month
Join Spectrum Medical Care Center in celebrating the resilience, vulnerability, and strength of the Phoenix LGBTQIA2S+ community. Engage with the “Living with Pride” spoken word project and be inspired by the power of authentic storytelling. Together, we can promote understanding, empathy, and inclusivity.