When Our Lifeline Gets Cut, PFLAG Walks
As federal support for LGBTQ+ youth is threatened, Washington’s PFLAG walk shows how community care is a form of resistance.
On Saturday, almost 100 people came together in Chiawana Park in Pasco, Washington, for the 3rd annual “Walk and Roll” hosted by PFLAG. The rainbow flags were waving, and families were showing up in support of LGBTQ+ youth.
The event included a 3K walk along the Columbia River, yard games, a picnic, and a community resource fair. The event was created to raise awareness and money for young LGBTQ+ people. Events that offer this kind of support feel especially urgent right now. It has only been weeks since the proposed cutting of all federal funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ services was announced. If approved, the cuts could take effect as early as October. The program was started in 2022 and has handled over 1.2 million calls, texts, and chats, offering life-saving help to LGBTQ+ youth in crisis.
The Trevor Project’s 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health shows just how severe the crisis is:
- 39% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year
- 46% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported the same
- 12% of LGBTQ+ youth attempted suicide
- About half of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care couldn’t get it
These numbers are heartbreaking and are why events like this PFLAG walk matter so much.
Related: It Takes A Village: Red And Blue States Alike Are Fighting For LGBTQ+ Rights
At the same time as this walk, WorldPride 2025 launched in Washington, D.C. It’s meant to be a joyful, global celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility. But even that event has faced pressure. The Kennedy Center canceled its Pride events after pushback from the Trump administration, and major corporate sponsors have backed out.
This is why local actions like the Pasco walk are powerful. They don’t wait for permission. They happen, year after year, doing the work that quietly saves lives. When the systems that are supposed to protect us begin to fail, the community steps in. When the lifeline gets cut, we make our own.
Every step, every hug, and every rainbow flag in the air mean something. It means people are still showing up, not just in Pasco but also beyond. And that means everything.
Related: Out And Proud: WorldPride D.C.
