A small town in Ohio had its first Pride celebration last year & the community loved it

In the bucolic, conservative small town of Broadview Heights, Ohio — located south of Cleveland, north of Akron, and adjacent to the stunning Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Jennifer Speer and other members of Brecksville/Broadview Heights Pride organised the town’s inaugural “Pride Fest” in 2023.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Speer, who serves as president of the LGBTQ+ community group and its allies, told ‘LGBTQ Nation.’

BBH Pride's mission, according to Speer, “is to promote awareness, instill acceptance, promote inclusiveness, and foster a welcoming community for all LGBTQ+ individuals. We provide education, workshops, fellowship, meetings, and special events, all with the goal of establishing empathy, respect, and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.”

In the months leading up to Pride Fest, the group was uncertain whether their more conservative neighbours would tolerate a public display of LGBTQ+ “empathy, respect, and celebration.”

“This was our first annual event, and it was being held in a conservative community,” Speer says. “Our goal was to have 250 people — but we had 750! It was a huge success!”

Image Credit: Canva

“Even our local police chief gave it high praise,” Speer adds, “and our local media named BBH Pride Fest one of the best celebrations in Northeast Ohio, and this was our very first event!”

“This picture showcases many of the members of BBH Pride who ran the event so successfully,” Speer says, expressing pride in “the incredible hard work and tenacity of my group, the courage of our LGBTQ+ friends, and the dedication of our allies” in making it happen.

However, alongside “a huge outpouring of support, donations, and sponsorships,” BBH Pride also faced backlash, Speer notes.

“We have had to fight adversity to bring our organization to this community, and we continue that fight every day. We’re getting ready to host our 2nd annual Pride Fest, and a small anti-LGBTQ+ faction is fighting us. But we are moving forward, and the event is on as planned. We cannot wait to hit Pride Fest again on June 8, 2024!”

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