WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. — Signs of support for the Black and Trans communities are re-emerging in Webster Groves after acts of theft and arson destroying them.
Officers from the Webster Groves Police Department are investigating the acts as hate crimes after the rash of vandalism earlier this week.
Kelly Storck, a therapist in Webster Groves who specializes in gender care and individual therapy, has been a licensed clinical social worker for the last 25 years. She's spent 15 of those focusing on gender care.
"I pulled into work Tuesday and noticed my flag was gone but as I looked closer, I noticed someone had set it on fire. Later I learned my "Save Trans Lives" sign was stolen from my yard," said Storck.
Storck said the pride flag outside her office had flown for a decade undisturbed. She quickly turned to hope when she took to Facebook to make this post.
She said in the last sentence of the post– "I see you, you can keep your lighters and bigotry and misguided power. We have love and truth on our side and we are absolutely, breathtakingly unstoppable."
That's when she says two dozen people dropped off signs, banners and artwork to her office. Some reading Black Lives Matter and others Love Has No Gender.
"I'm a white, cisgender, queer woman, it was my flag and sign…OK, it's another Tuesday. I wanted to do this to call attention to the people that are facing this stuff everyday," said Storck.
Storck's business on Big Bend Boulevard is just one of a few targeted in Tuesday's hate crimes. She said Webster Groves Police Department detectives have reached out multiple times about the incident and they're still investigating.
"My hope is that these folks leave us alone and I can sit in my office and families can bring their kids to me, I can help take care of them and that people will just leave them alone," said Storck.
Pushing back against the hate, Storck is ready to take on the larger issues that Black and Transgender communities face. Even by taking her advocacy to state legislators.
"I will go testify, I will show up to the protest, I will leave flags in my yard forever if I need to," said Storck.
