What a difference a year makes.

We began 2016 still reveling in our biggest victory yet: nationwide marriage equality, a fight Lambda Legal started in Hawaii 20 years ago.

Our achievement was not just that we won. It was that nearly the whole country celebrated with us.

As we head into 2017, the minority of Americans who didn’t celebrate – who resent our success and our love – have been chosen to lead the country. Not chosen because they hate LGBT people, but chosen nonetheless.

The year ahead will be brutal. But we are not going back.

We will continue to defend the rights of LGBT people and those living with HIV. And the majority of Americans are still with us.

Our mission is rooted in love and acceptance — of ourselves and of others. Our work sends a message that has been embraced by people across the country and has inspired countless others around the world. And because it’s based in love, it’s worth fighting for.