It’s pride month - and Juneteenth is just around the corner. Pride celebrations take on added significance for LGBTQ+ Floridians who have been the focus of restrictive new laws in recent years.

And for Black and LGBTQ + residents, June takes on extra significance. On this episode of Florida Matters, we speak with leaders in the greater Tampa Bay region’s Black LGBTQIA community about representation and the importance of both Pride and Juneteenth.

Joining the show: Darius Lightsey, the secretary of St. Pete Pride. He’s the organizer of Shades of Pride, a two day Juneteenth LGBTQ+ art and music fest. And Tamara Leigh, the editor of Blaque Out, an online publication that celebrates, showcases and educates around Black queer culture, and the founder of Tampa Bay Black Lesbians - a social media community.