My mom and I at LA Pride 2011 marching with Barangay LA

“This is my son and I’m proud of him.” That’s what my mom kept on saying as we both marched for the first time for LA Pride – an annual event celebrating the LGBTQ community.

Actually, this was my second year attending LA Pride as I’ve staffed Barangay LA’s booth last year. I wanted to be in the parade previously but I was on a slightly different march on that same day – my graduation from college. =) Albeit in my heart, I was walking with them – my friends and the community I’ve grown to appreciate and care a lot about.

This year, I purposely cleared my schedule so that I can attend the march. Also, I invited my mom to walk with me. And she did. And this is our story.

Sunday Morning. 6.12.2011

I dropped my mom and my bestie off at the meeting place of Barangay LA participants. The various API orgs (Barangay LA included) from APIPC (Asian Pacific Islander Pride Council) were to meet at a house a couple of blocks away from the starting point to gather and prepare for our contingent. I was a little apprehensive about leaving her there without me, but knowing her she’d blend right in and make friends in no time.

So after dropping them off, I drove towards the end point of the route and parked my car there so that we wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to where we started after the parade is over. I got there early enough so I was able to take my time walking at a relatively slow pace, back towards where I had dropped them off.

In hindsight, that’s actually where my march began – yes, well before the parade even started! I started before the music, the colorful costumes and make up, before the elaborate floats, and the various organizations and families that will walk an hour later that day. I saw people getting ready, a marathon wrapping up (they even had a mini marathon for kids! – how cute!), and a Christian band playing music and supporting everyone attending LA Pride.

As I walked back, I thought about my journey to where I am right now. I thought about the various people that’s been part of my life. I briefly thought about the classmates that made fun of how effeminate I was growing up; and of a particular friend who chose to turn his back on me when I finally accepted who I truly am. And it’s not because I didn’t want to dwell on all the hurt and the tears. It is because I have so many people who have been supportive all the way. I thought about my friends who I opened up to first. And how they’ve been supportive and loving and made me feel no different from how they’ve been treating me all along. And I thought about my sister, my aunt, and my cousins whose love – I have used to make me stronger and keep me grounded. But most importantly, I thought about that woman waiting at the start of the parade. That woman who according to my reporter-friend when asked if this was her first march responded, “LA Pride, yes! But just to let you know, I’ve been marching with him ever since he was born.” That woman who loves me unconditionally and who has devoted her Sunday morning to be with me at such an important event of my life. She who is my mother.

So finally, when I got back to the house, there she was, sitting, talking to people and making friends. She was even introducing me to people I should have known already. See, as much as a people person that I am, I’m not even close to possessing the people skills that my mother has. That’s her gift: to be able to talk to anyone – from CEOs, to ordinary people, to parents, to my friends – and make them feel that she’s there for them to listen and to share a good conversation with. I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and tell me that they love my mother and that she’s the coolest mom. In fact, one of my friends even calls her his BFF. I admire that about her, among others things.

The rest of the march was an amazing experience for me. My mom was waving to people, talking to them. I know she wasn’t only making sure that people knew that she was walking for me. But that she wanted to make me feel that she was there for me above anything else. And that was the most important thing. I felt loved, appreciated, and accepted by the most important woman in my life.

My first LA Pride march with my mom is a gift I share to everyone who’s felt alone at one point in their lives. I hope that through my experience, you are able to have the hope that one day, someone important in your life will be able to do the same. If anything, me and my mom will gladly walk with you next year, or any year after that for that matter, as long as we are able to.

To my mom, I love you. You have been such an inspiration not only to me and Karen (my sister who promised she’ll walk with us next year. ^_^) but also to every person that has had the privilege to get to know you. You continuously touch people and I’m honored to be your son.

I walk tall and proud. Proud to be Filipino and part of the LGBTQ community. When I was a baby, my mother taught me to take baby steps. And I learned to physically walk. And through that experience, I was able to do things beyond the physical aspects of walking. Armed with the support of my family and friends, and the passion to fight for equality not only for the LGBTQ community but of the community as a whole and the social justice that we continuously aim to achieve, I will walk on.