 Hi everyone, my name is Kimberly Esslinger and I write poetry. Thank you Women Who Submit and thank you Long Beach Public Library for inviting me to participate in this year's Pride event. This is such an important theme, all our voices, at this particular time in history. I know for sure that our voices haven't always been heard and they've often been silenced. When I think back to ACT UP back in the 80s and their call to action which was silence equals death, I'm reminded that I need to participate in taking up space and lifting my voice in telling the truth as fast as I can. Well, this wasn't always my way. I was always out to my family, always out to my friends, but I wasn't always out at work. I thought I was, I thought, well, if they ask I'll tell them, but the truth is they were never going to ask. So what does that mean? This first poem I'm going to read is about that. It's also about the beginning of the fight for marriage equality and it's called The Day, The Sky to Change. I was on the 10th floor in my office with the big picture window of the rolling hills and you called breathless a static. Did you hear? We can get married. Not the way of proposals, but the way of a people who were to be hidden in closets sexless and beige. You said, meet me. We need to celebrate. But I was working on these brochures. I had these deadlines and you said, but this is important and I didn't believe you said I left because of your exuberance and told no one why. We at Fry's, at the veggie grill, shared a lemonade. You kissed my hand in public at the table. You kissed me on the lips of the car.