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The air hangs hot and heavy like a clingy lover in Florida summer. In minutes, dark clouds could take over Tampa Bay for a biblical flood, or they may leave as quickly as they came. They don’t care for your expectations, and neither does the city of St. Petersburg.

Even northerners have heard about Governor Ron DeSantis’ law of the land, including HB 1557, the Don’t Say Gay bill. DeSantis grew up in Pinellas County. Residents here know that Florida is more than the headlines, and that the South is not a lost cause.

“I wish sometimes that people could experience what I experience here in St. Pete,” Sea Harder said. “See how beautiful and diverse [it is]. How much this community really comes together to support each other.  I feel really lucky that I've found this pocket of people that are just so mutual aid focused and so joy focused.”

Harder is originally from Oregon. They have made a place for themselves here in Florida as a columnist for Sapphic Sunmagazine and a community organizer with Queer Expression St. Pete.

QE is a fully grassroots volunteer collective offering diverse, multigenerational community-building opportunities for queer and trans folks. They call their home base the Nest, and home base is used literally. QE has transformed a spacious house one mile inland from the Bay with a stocked kitchen, banned-book library, community garden, and pay-what-you-can laundry.

On any given day, you may find children making crafts in QE’s Let Kids be Kids play room, teens enjoying a safe space on Wind-Down Wednesday, or adults meeting for  Queer AF, an alcohol-free support group. 

This June, Harder helped coordinate Resistance Intersectionality Solidarity Expression (RISE) Month, a celebration of trans life and queer love. Organizers at QE felt that the community deserved a corporation and cop-free alternative to St. Pete Pride, Florida’s largest Pride celebration, which has been held for 24 years. 

“It's really just kind of an opportunity to, yes, have fun, party, but also come together, actually learn things and share skills,” Harder said. “We have had instances where we have had to deal with external threats, and in that instance, we've really just relied on  internal security, having people from our community who are trained in security at these events when needed… instead of cops.”

QE is currently nominated in five categories of Creative Loafing’s 2026 Best of the Bay: Best Community Center, Best LGBTQ+ Organization, Best Book Club, Best Community Garden, and Best Summer Camp. 

While QE refrains from corporate sponsorship, it has partnered with local organizations and businesses, such as Lucky Cup Coffee Co. This summer, Lucky Cup donated a portion of the profits from its Great Big Gay Confetti Pride Latte to QE. With confetti cake syrup and rainbow sprinkles, the drink was inspired by the desire to celebrate. It was also topped with a lavender cold foam, which paired nicely with bright lemon curd. 

Lucky Cup Co-owner Lauren Kirk, originally from South Carolina, says she has never felt out of place in St. Pete.

“I know things have changed here, and they’re still changing, but even still, I think St. Pete has that same vibe. You’re welcome no matter how weird you are, and that weirdness is celebrated.”

According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, 14 pieces of anti-trans state legislation have been introduced in the state of Florida in 2026 alone, with two successfully passing into law. Following the passage of SB 1662, the Florida Department of Transportation ordered municipalities to remove “political messages or artwork” from public roads. 

“I get so sad every time I see where the rainbow crosswalk in Grand Central used to be. I’m hoping one day it will return.Until then, we have each other, and I think that’s what keeps St. Pete proud," Kirk said. 

In response to the removal of the iconic rainbow sidewalks, brightly colored bike racks were arranged, depicting gay and trans pride flags. Through natural and political disasters, St. Pete remains both proud and hopeful. One young woman has instilled this into the political landscape, reminding others around her that “hope is free.”

May Thach, a “Generation 1.5” Cambodian American, launched her campaign to represent House District 61 at St. Pete’s Queer Asian Museum. She relates to the museum on a personal level. They are both the first of their kind.

“The Queer Asian Museum, it was the first in St. Pete. It hasn't existed before, and it feels like I've also not existed before,” Thach said. “In St. Petersburg, I've not seen folks like me in existence in our area… It was very representative of me.”

Thach believes her background as a Queer Asian woman, which once made her feel othered, has helped her connect with residents on the campaign trail. 

“Intersectionality isn't a term that I have to learn, it's a lived experience,” Thach said.

Running a campaign focused on affordability, accountability, and accessibility for all Floridians, Thach believes that the political and the personal overlap. She often asks herself how she can enact change in her personal life if not in the global grand scheme.

The future remains uncertain for Floridians. However, with organizers like Sea Harder, people happily serving the community like Lauren Kirk, and aspiring leaders like May Thach, we know the fight is far from over.