By Azariah Gladney

At Pridefestโ€™s StorySlam, something powerful happened when teens like Azariah Gladney, Mason Litzsey, Amelia Wolski, Dot Hamelin-Garcia, Lynette, Mari, Zaria Bonner, Ethan Grutzmacher, and Saiorse O’Naughton stepped up to the mic โ€” not to impress, but to speak their truth. Each story was raw, honest, and brave. From first steps into identity to complex moments of love, boundaries, and being seen, these young voices shared stories about growing up queer, navigating conservative spaces, discovering their gender, supporting their friends, learning consent, and standing up for themselves. The audience didnโ€™t just listen โ€” they responded with snaps, cheers, and moments of reverent silence. You could feel the weight of each story being lifted, and the pride in every voice that dared to speak.ย 

What made this event different is that it was more than just a safe space โ€” it was an honest one. There was no pressure to be polished, no expectation to shrink or explain. Whether it was talking about being a trans man at a conservative school, kissing a girl at homecoming, fighting for a friend to be crowned prom king, or learning to say no and mean it, these storytellers gave us a glimpse of what it means to grow into yourself in a world that doesnโ€™t always understand you. Here, truth wasnโ€™t just accepted โ€” it was celebrated. StorySlam didnโ€™t just give young people the mic. It gave them permission. And they used it to remind us all what courage really sounds like.ย 

See more photos by Touie Sow in this album.ย 

Thanks to everyone that made this event possible: Pridefest, all the volunteers, the storytellers, and the funders:ย Marvin W. Haesle Fund for the Arts at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation,ย Milwaukee Recreation Partnership for the Arts and Humanities,ย Dorothy Inbusch Foundation, Milwaukee Arts Board, Generosity Project โ€“ Milwaukee Giving Circle,ย Valentine Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors, andย Ex Fabula members!