Song: "I See Your Colors"

At 1 a.m. on June 19, 2025, in the wake of the U.S. v. Skrmetti Supreme Court decision allowing Tennessee to ban access to gender-affirming care for all youth in that state, one of our neighbors, Jessie Miller (she and/or he pronouns), finished writing the song she needed to hear in this moment.

Jessie said: "I needed this song to remind me that I am enough, that I have always been more than enough, that my community is strong and beautiful and vibrant."

Over time, he will produce a polished recording. He is sharing the first, raw audio now so that others can feel seen and heard and know they are not alone.

Amplify will be publishing stories on local members of the LGBTQIA+ community–those impacted by what is happening in our country today and those who are fighting and helping. In this difficult moment, though, it felt right to share Jessie's song right now.

More soon, and all our love to our neighbors, friends and families who are hurting. Let's remember, despite it all, as Jessie says in her statement below, trans and queer lives are here to stay.

If this song spoke to you, please share with a friend and check out ways to help our LGBTQIA+ neighbors or find a helping hand below!

Find a Helping Hand

I See Your Colors

Lyrics by Jessie Miller

I see your colors,
I can hear them,
I can hear them scream.
They scream for joy, they scream in pain, they scream to be seen. 

I see the fire
That smolders inside of you.
They cannot take you, cannot keep you from being you.
I wish that I could say that they would stop trying .

F*** those in power,
We got the power
To see light through
They can't see all your glorious shades & hues.
 
And what a shame for them that we get to live our truth.

They want to take away our joy but they can't tho
They want to take away our joy but they can't tho (x2)

I'm terrified 
Most days
Of losing my rights.

My right to live, my right to breathe, my right to be.
Every day a new executive order comes down.
The water high above my head - trying not to drown.

They're trying to erase me and my history.
They think they can ban my existence so easily, 
But they've got no idea of what they've got themselves into.

My trans forebears and those with AIDS taught us we can see it through.

F*** those in power, we got the power, cuz we said so
F*** those in power, we got the power, cuz we said so (x2)

Speech:
And if you're still scared, my beautiful trans and queer community,
You have every right
But don't forget that we have been here before.

We fought against being taken by the Red scare,
We survived Nazi occupation,
Our black and brown trans forebears, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera fought against police brutality. 

We marched on Washington,
We took over Wall Street and the National Institute of Health when it refused to treat our loved ones with AIDS,
We fought against DOMA,
Don't Ask Don't Tell,
Homosexuality as a mental illness.

We fought for marriage equality and protections in the workplace.

While we have an uphill battle to fight
for gender-affirming care for trans youth,
for the existence of nonbinary people,
for the end of murdering trans people,
for the right of my fellow nonbinary and trans people to be,

I KNOW we will be victorious 

Because it has always been our transformative vision
of a better world that has inspired us and this dream
will continue to inspire us until there is no air left in our lungs to breathe,
No blood left in our veins to bleed, and our bodies and our souls
Return to the vibrant hum that is the universe. 

It is because of US that this world has color, don't forget that.

Even when they try to convince you that you are wrong,
that you are a sin,
that you don't deserve to exist,
that you are an abomination:

Queer and trans people provide color.

It is because of us that this world has color.

They want to take away our joy but they can't tho
They want to take away our joy but they can't tho (x2)

F*** those in power, we got the power, cuz we said so
F*** those in power, we got the power, cuz we said so (x2)

Spoken:
We provide the world with color. Never forget that.

Meet the Singer-Songwriter: Jessie Miller

"I wrote this song because it’s what I needed to hear.

As a bisexual trans and nonbinary person, I have been overwhelmed with the news coming out every day. I have always been an activist and have led several LGBTQ activist organizations. I was also the President of Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago for 3 years, and even I have been terrified.

Every day I sign petitions and make calls and I march and I cry and I scream, and it never feels like enough.

I needed this song to remind me that I am enough, that I have always been more than enough, that my community is strong and beautiful and vibrant.

I needed to remember that my community has always been here, that quite frankly we have faced worse before, and that we have made it out time and time again. Don’t get me wrong, I am not naive. Not everyone has made it out. My own cousin, Patrick McKenna, died of AIDS-related complications the year I was born. However, as a white queer person, I also walk this world with an incredible amount of privilege, and I will use that privilege and our collective people power to protect my own.

Trans and queer lives are here to stay, and I will fight with everything I have to ensure our future."

Jessie Miller uses she and/or he pronouns and has lived in
Irving Park, Logan Square, & Norwood Park.