ST. LOUIS — June is Pride Month, and the Tower Grove Pride Care-a-van Sunday wound its way through the neighborhoods of St. Louis.
It’s an opportunity for the loved ones of LGBTQ-plus (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) people to come out on the side of tolerance.
Supporters left a parking lot that served as a gathering place in the Central West End and made their way through the neighborhoods of St. Louis.
The caravan collectively carried a message of inclusion.
“There is room for all of us in St. Louis," Bill Stephens, St. Louis 12th Ward Alderman, said. "Everyone has a place in St. Louis, and deserves a voice, deserves to have representation, to have safety.”
Janet Leggitt, a member of PFlag (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), looked like a superhero wrapped up in a rainbow flag.
“Thank you, I am not the superhero,” she said. “My friend, Amy, is the superhero.”
“I am a friend of a parent of lesbians and gays,” she said. “And inclusion is very important to me.”
Kat Cocivera is with the Crime Victim Center.
“Crime occurs in the LGBTQ-plus community,” said Cocivera, “but often resources aren’t available to them or accepting. So, we want to make sure we are here, so they know our doors are always open to them.”
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri was represented at the event, as well.
“Planned Parenthood serves a large portion of the LGBTQ-plus population," Brenda Cross said. "It’s really important we show solidarity to them, especially with the Trans-community, as there are many attacks against the Trans-community that are ongoing.”
The event was a fund-raiser for Covenant House, an organization that helps homeless teenagers who are kicked out of their homes after coming out as LGBTQ or Trans.
“It’s important that even when we leave this space," Alisha Sonnier, a St. Louis School Board member, said. "It’s important we think about what it looks like to be in support to the LGBT community.”
Organizers say the Pride care-a-van featured representatives of more than 40 organizations riding in at least 100 vehicles.