Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ resource fair with help from NOH8 Campaign happening Thursday night
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - An LGBTQ+ resource fair opens Thursday in Colorado Springs ahead of this weekend's Pride Festival in the city.
The event, created in partnership between Purple Mountain Recovery, Inside Out Youth Services, and the NO H8 Campaign, is happening at the Luxe Daiquiri Lounge.
The goal is to gather people of all backgrounds and ethnicities under one roof and provide resources to the LGBTQ+ community.
"I felt it was super important for us to bring the no hate campaign and definitely after the tragedy that happened at Club Q," explained Miss Terrie, a drag performer and organizer of the resource fair.
Miss Terrie has taken the lead on getting the resource fair up and running in time for Colorado Springs Pride Fest.
"LGBTQIA people are attacked physically under attacked as well as legally people are trying to pass laws in states to ban gender expression or gender-affirming care for people," said Miss Terrie.
According to data from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, there's been a rise in the number of reported hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022, there were 87 LGBTQ+ reported hate crimes in Colorado. That's up from 2021, which had 72 reported crimes.
"Having this day I think is instrumental and giving people a safe place to come together and celebrate and not just grieve," said Miss Terrie. "Grieving is super important we have needed to grieve over these past six months but today is more about celebrating and coming together in happiness and in joy."
This thinking is why Miss Terrie connected with the NO H8 Campaign, a group based out of California.
"The no hate campaign is about sharing stories and putting a face to the fight for equality. for a lot of people, it's about the fear of the unknown," said Adam Bouska with the NO H8 Campaign.
People with the NO H8 Campaign will be at the resource fair for a special photoshoot. They'll be giving people tape to put over their mouths and painting "NO H8" on people's faces.
"If the people here in colorado springs felt like their voices weren't being heard in support of the LGBTQ community that's why we are here to share their voices," said Jeff Parshley, also with the NO H8 Campaign.
The resource fair begins at 5 p.m. at the Luxe Daiquiri Lounge at 945 Galley Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909.
The NO H8 shoot begins at 6 p.m. and will go until 8 p.m.
