The Way of the Dandelion

Missoula Pride

Looking to celebrate Pride in a way that’s calm, contemplative, and grounding? Pride doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes, honoring our identities means turning inward—reflecting, resting, and reconnecting. Join us at the Missoula Public Library for a restorative and immersive plant-based reflection space, specially created for the queer community and allies. This is the second annual installation of this unique offering—a quiet place to touch in with the tender and resilient parts of what it means to live in defiance of traditional norms. Each spring, waysides, lawns, and sidewalk cracks erupt in yellow. Despite efforts to poison and eradicate them, dandelions persist—unapologetically blooming where they aren’t wanted. In a world that asks them to conform, they continue to stand out. Maybe you can relate? This self-paced, rolling workshop invites you to engage with the dandelion through all its life stages: the taproot, the bud, the flower, the seeds, and the withered crone. Each station will include journal prompts, poetic reflections, and opportunities to interact with the plant in new and meaningful ways. Together, we’ll explore how society’s attempts to erase wildness—like the dandelion—mirror our own experiences. Your reflections will contribute to a collective art piece: sowing windswept seeds of hope, resilience, and queer joy.

Art and writing from last year’s event have been compiled into a collaborative zine, which will be distributed during the event. If you contributed last year but can’t attend in person this time, reach out to Bonita at to receive a PDF copy. Bonita (she/they) is an energetic herbalist based on Salish and Kootenai lands (Missoula). They create small-batch botanical body care products and offer one-on-one energy healing. Bonita’s work centers on cultivating kinship with plants—and with our truest selves.