Identity has become increasingly fragmented, and I yearning for unity, for something real beneath the symbols, hashtags, and colors. Flags and identity symbols can serve as powerful tools for recognition and solidarity. For many, especially in marginalized groups, having a visible symbol is life-affirming. It says “I exist, and I belong.” But that same symbol can, paradoxically, become a wall. Over time, what started as a shield can turn into a boundary, one that says who’s in and who’s not. Our identities can become rigid molds instead of open journeys. That’s a hard truth, especially when those molds start to feel like obligations, when we stop asking who we are becoming and start performing who we think we’re supposed to be. It’s exhausting, and it's limiting. Recognize that beneath the

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