Growing up in a small rural town in Northeast Oklahoma isn’t exactly an ideal way of finding your inner diva.During the early 2000’s, when gay marriage was a hot topic of discussion, my fear was having to fight to take my boyfriend to prom.In those days, my escape was the 40-minute drive to Tulsa - a humble midwestern city offering my best hope of any real glimpse into pride. I can remember my very first drag show, the opening performance accompanied by Britney Spears’ 2003 smash hit Toxic.To this day, I can’t listen to that song without thinking about a caked up queen dancing over me, feeding off the fear in my eyes as I sat frozen in the moment.College in Oklahoma City brought with it a fuller appreciation of where the gay community has come from, and where we can grow. I became involved with G.A.T.E. (Gay Alliance for Tolerance and Equality) as the group’s Public Relations Chair. I was also introduced to the region’s biggest pride party in Dallas.These days, however, I find myself looking past the parties and the extravagance to something more fundamentally American: the concept of E Pluribus Unum, or out of many, one. This concept has always resonated with me, both in my personal and professional lives.The LGBT community has members and allies from all backgrounds of society, yet we make up one community. In a similar way, Lime also has a diverse team form all over contributing their best talents to push towards one goal.I have never been happier or more proud to be part of a team that is so accepting, empowering and supportive of all people.I remember just after launching in Dallas, a photo was posted on Instagram showing a gay couple holding hands while riding LimeBikes on the Katy Trail. Being an island of blue in a sea of red, the LGBT community here really knows how to show their pride, even in the heat of September.I reached out to the owner of the photo to introduce myself and get some background information in order to feature it on our social media pages. You can see the picture below.The older I get, the more I understand that, just like this photo, it takes more than a single person to bring about positive change.Throughout our lives, most of us dream of impacting the world for the better. Whether volunteering at a charity medical clinic or working with disadvantaged kids at an arts education organization, I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by great people all pushing to make the world a better place.Viewed through this lens, pride month is much more than an excuse to throw a fabulous party (incredible as they might be). Instead, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that makes this country so unique, and to encourage one another to find common connections, whether in groups like the LGBT community, in teams like Lime or even simply in ourselves.