DELAND, Fla. — Some LGBTQ+ folks in Volusia County are finding a new sense of community, and it’s all due to a nonprofit that opened its doors in DeLand about six months ago.
Volusia Pride may not have been open a year yet, but it’s become a beacon of hope - and Pride.
Karaoke nights and jam sessions fill the halls, with floor-to-ceiling rainbows. There are even rubber ducks repping their Pride flags.
The makings of Volusia Pride began in the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando.
"Our goal was really to have a space where people could come and feel like this was their space. They could be safe here," said Volusia Pride Vice President Heather McLean.
He said after the mass shooting, a group of folks got together, starting up as an online get-together wit ha goal of making sure DeLand was seen as a welcoming and inclusive place.
The online group found solace in regular meetups. The founders eventually created a nonprofit with a brick and mortar location.
McLean said, “Every month we have 15 to 16 events at least."
Those include everything from family dinners to crafts and game nights.
McLean said the place gets a lot of use.
"I see people coming to our events and then spreading the word to other people that we exist and that there is a resource like this in Volusia County," she said.
Volunteers also stay busy planning outings for community members.
“We really hear that we make a difference, just us being visible and being out there," said McLean.
McLean said LGBTQ+ youth see the building as a refuge since most of central Florida’s LGBTQ+ resources are concentrated around Orlando.
While the nonprofit eventually hopes to offer mental health services, for now they’re connecting community members to the resources they need. They also fight misinformation.
“We do get some pushback. I would say most of the negativity that we get is focused online," McLean said.
Despite the challenges, McLean said Volusia County’s LGBTQ+ community isn’t hiding.
"There is a voice for our community here and that we’re not going anywhere. We’re going to be here. And I think that means a lot to people," McLean said.
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