Community led

Franklin County Pride, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization run by a committee of dedicated volunteers. Franklin County Pride mission is to create a community in which all LGBTQIA+ youth, adults, and families can enjoy the freedom to live safely, openly, and genuinely, free from discrimination due to race, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. We aim to be as representative as possible of the diverse experiences and identities of the LGBTQIA+ community. We strive to be honest about who is and isn’t in the room, whose voices are and are not at the table, and to support other groups doing the work we are not.

Our Story

The first Franklin County Pride March & Rally on June 24, 2017 was created and organized by a handful of dedicated lesbian and queer women, in reaction to the charged political climate after the 2016 presidential election and the growing threat to marginalized people in our community (i.e., undocumented people, people of color, women, and LGBTQIA people). [The event was also inspired, in part, by a small but mighty Greenfield Pride event held in 2015.]

This all-volunteer event drew broad participation from diverse members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, and was made possible by overwhelming support from local businesses and individual sponsors. The event drew over 400 marchers and 600 rally participants, with musical performances from local entertainers, and speeches from local community groups and leaders.

FC Pride expresses our immense gratitude to the original FC Pride co-chairs, Trouble Mandeson, Pam Parmakian, Michelle Delisio, Cathy Gouch and Elizabeth Bridgewater (along with the support of countless friends and volunteers) for their work organizing the first Franklin County Pride event.