Good morning - Today's update brings some welcome news: last Wednesday, the Town of Port Royal confirmed that a permit for the Pride festival in November has been approved.
Given the festival opponents' continued mischaracterization of this event, it seems necessary to mark the moment. Your support played a major role in getting this confirmation...so thank you! Now everyone can focus on making the festival the best it can be. If you have the time, please consider sending a note of thanks to Port Royal leadership, or attending the council meeting this Wednesday, 9/13, at 6:30 p.m. to make a quick public comment or support other speakers.
The past few weeks have included many conversations about what the Town of Port Royal used to be, what it is today, and what its future looks like. The three stories in today's update all come from relative newcomers to the area, and they highlight the good work Lowcountry Pride does in creating a welcoming space in a community that is still adapting to inevitable changes. It's not just good work - it's vitally important, and thank you again for supporting this cause.
Moving from MN to SC with all of our belongings and cat in our car and not knowing where we will live was terrifying. Especially when we didn’t know anyone or anything in our new town. Then finding out I was pregnant days after we arrived was even worse. I knew I needed a community and a family and I found Lowcountry PRIDE. I am so glad i did. Being able to get to know everyone more and more each month, have some good food, and meet more members of the community really helped me feel less lonely during this change in my life. I can’t wait for my baby to be surrounded by this same community that has made me feel so loved and welcomed. - Emily Mott-Smith Seals
My wife and I just moved to the area from Madison, Wisconsin. Our first order of business was to find an LGBTQ + group. We were elated to find the welcoming group of Lowcountry PRIDE. I attended an event and bought two t-shirts to support our new family. Our goal is to save lives, one ALLY at a time! Thank you,Beaufort County SC LGBTQ Community for our new home! - Lisa Koenecke
I moved to the Beaufort/Port Royal area from a place that was very outwardly safe and welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community— every business had a pride flag in their window, family-friendly drag shows were a fun weekend activity, and our annual Pride celebration was one of the best weeks of the summer. That comfort and community was something I took for granted until I moved away from it. The existence of Lowcountry Pride and the unwavering kindness of the people in it make the experience of living in the Lowcountry as a queer person feel less isolating. The pride events I have attended through them have been safe, joyful spaces that remind me of home. Every person deserves to feel at home in their body and their community, and I am grateful to Lowcountry Pride working to make that a reality. - Kat Armstrong