Central Alabama Pride will be hosting an event to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday, June 16 from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Pell City Center for Education and Performing Arts.

Pride Month takes place in June every year to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. Any events during the month are done so to celebrate the impact that LGBTQ+ people have had on the world.

Although sponsored by Central Alabama Pride, the event was originally organized by local teen, Cailyn Hill.

“I’m really excited because I feel like this is the first Pride event that has ever been held here. I’m really happy to have been a part of it,” said Hill.

All ages are invited to attend. The plan is to have sections set up in the CEPA lobby where people can make bracelets and their own Pride flags. There will also be food, pins and stickers provided to guests.

Two local bands will perform on the main stage and Hill is also hoping to organize karaoke or some sort of group participation entertainment.

Hill chose to do this event because Pride Month falls outside of the school year and she wanted to give local teens and young adults a place to come and celebrate.

Hill sent out emails to anyone who could help make the event larger. Drew Fitch, Central Alabama Pride vice president, a St. Clair County native reached out.

“It’s really cool, especially because he is from here and excited to help me put this event together,” said Hill.

She said she sees a lot of peers around her who would benefit from seeing that it’s okay to publicly be themselves.

“I want to be the person to support them and show them they’re not alone. There’s a lot that goes into being LGBTQ+, they have some of the worst mental health because they are so afraid,” said Hill.

Hill said she personally knows peers of hers who struggle to feel seen and accepted. After telling her own mother she is a part of the LGBTQ+ community, she understood how it fully felt to be worried about being disowned or disapproved of.

“I was like ‘this is a part of who I am and I don’t want to hide it anymore. But, you’re also my mom and I seek your approval.’”

Hill’s mom has been helping her plan the event and gain resources needed.

“Whoever I love isn’t going to get in the way of them loving me, which is a great thing to hear from your parents. Not everybody has those kinds of parents,” said Hill.

She hopes events like this will make those people see that although their family doesn’t support them, they do have a community of others ready and willing to do so.

According to the Trevor Project, 73% of LGBTQ+ youth reported symptoms of anxiety and 58% reported symptoms of depression. 45% of LGBTQ+ youth have considered suicide.

Hill is hoping the event will become an annual occurrence and she can leave behind a legacy of acceptance after graduating high school.