What does Pride mean to you? Here's what it means to us...

June is Pride month, and we’re lucky enough to be right in the center of it all.

Our Chelsea Manhattan office is just blocks away from the Stonewall Inn, where the Pride movement was born 50 years ago. With this year marking such a momentous anniversary, NYC will host World Pride--the largest celebration of LGBTQIA+ equality in the world--and we can't wait for all of it to march right through our backyard.

Fortune & Frame was built on the belief that everyone should be the author of their own stories. So it's only fitting that Pride is our favorite time of the year.

In honor of Pride, all of us took a moment to reflect on our individual experiences and feelings about equality, and put them into words we could wear in our lockets all month long.

From bending the rules (or living entirely outside of them) to honoring our selves and being open to love, here’s what pride means to each of us.

"There are no rules." 
- Gretel Going, Founder of Fortune & Frame

"I grew up super religious and with a ton of rules. So, when I went to Pride for the first time and saw everybody debunking the rules other people had made for them, I felt a personal connection to Pride--like it was for me too. It's one of the reasons that New York City is the first place that ever really felt like home to me. I’ve now been here for 13 years."

"Celebrate your beautiful self." 
- Katarina Mueller

"Pride, to me, is an absolute embrace and celebration of who you are, including all of your strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has their own story and should be able to own and celebrate it with a smile. You deserve the opportunity to be BOLD and beautifully unique."

"Celebrate your beautiful self." 
- Marleah Dentes

"To me, pride means staying true to who you are, and exuding this everywhere you go. I think there is a huge amount of strength that goes into being authentic and never feeling like you have to hold back any part of yourself. It’s saying, 'this is who I am and I’m proud of that.'"

"I am mine." 
- Jessica Caunedo

"Pride to me means I have the right to represent myself in any way, shape, or form that I choose. We retain the right to be truly expressive of ourselves however we see suitable. To live authentically for yourself is one of the greatest gifts we have been given, and every new day is a chance to be uniquely ourselves. If we as individuals were to leave our personal representations at the hands of society, individuality would cease to exist."

"Refuse to compromise." 
- Talia Cutrone

"Pride to me means to not compromise how you love or who you love, and refusing to be anyone other than yourself.

"Not vanity but sanity." 
- Carli Mathias

"To love yourself is not self-indulgent but rather necessary for a healthy mindset. Without self-love and self-acceptance, there is no way to move forward, to progress, or to truly be happy in your own skin."

"If you give your love away in any and all forms, a love of equal strength will come back to you." 
- Sarah Ferrie

"Love, in all its forms, will always be the most important thing. It begins with self-love and acceptance, and once that is achieved, we can open our hearts to others and cultivate an environment where everyone can grow in happiness."

"Your story is what makes you special." 
- Kelly Anne Norberto

"Pride means everyone has a story to tell. Every one’s story is different. Most stories are about how they grow as an individual or how someone has overcome a big obstacle in their life. Don’t be afraid to tell your story."

"Know yourself to trust yourself." 
- Sarah Lightbody

"Pride is knowing yourself, even in inarticulable ways, and honoring that internal knowledge as both valid and right. It’s the confidence that comes from introspection and a following unwavering self trust, simultaneous with an acknowledgement that you will grow and change over time, creating a long-serving space to bloom."

"Your journey is individual." 
- Nicole Carlyle

"To me, pride is all about individuality and fully embracing who you are. There is no distinct path in life that people should abide by. Pride is all about one’s individual journey with self acceptance and unapologetically being true to one’s self."

What does pride mean to you? Put it in words and create your own custom pride fortune here!.