WACO, Texas — Waco Pride Network is busy preparing for 'Out on the Brazos', an LGBTQ pride festival coming up in just over a week.
The group is also looking to the future, one with more resources and visibility for the community.
The group is raising money to create an LGBTQ community center where people can drop in and access resources year-round, something Waco Pride Network board member Lucas Land said is much needed in the city.
"Here in Waco, a lot of times, it's easy to feel really isolated. There's not as much in our community for our LGBTQ community," Land said.
The pride network also hopes to make the LGBTQ community more visible in Waco with the center. Another way they are hoping to do so is by partnering with Waco businesses.
"We're wanting to put together a 'sticker program' for businesses in the area, so that they can show that they're essentially partners with us," board parliamentarian Lincoln Crowder said. "And it wouldn't really be that much, just saying, 'We're friendly, we're not gonna judge you.'"
Land said taking these steps to make the city more inclusive will only attract more business.
"You're gonna have better people, you're gonna have a better environment in your business," Land said.
A father of a transgender child, Land is cautiously optimistic that with some help from these projects Waco will be a more LGBTQ-friendly city in the not too distant future.
The Waco Pride Network wants to bring the community center to life within the next few years. Fund-raising efforts include the 'Out on the Brazos' festival, which takes place at Brazos Park East on Saturday, Oct. 9.
To learn more about the event or to donate to Waco Pride Network, visit the website.
The group is also looking for more volunteers for the festival.
