WILMINGTON, N.C. — Pride is all about dignity, self-affirmation and increasing visibility in the LGBTQ community. It’s about letting everyone see your true colors and letting them shine. That’s why expressing yourself with chalk is a perfect way to celebrate.
Second Annual Chalk Full of Pride event will take place in Wilmington
Chalk will be located at six locations throughout Wilmington
Chalk was available June 25 through June 27
“A tree, tree of pride,” said Zii Willo while drawing the tree. “Strength, strength in combination so all of us together, stronger, as one, every color, all of us banded together, rooted together, supporting each other.”
Willo loves supporting her community. She’s a youth volunteer with the Wilmington Transgender Support Services and was able to encourage her kids to come and express themselves with chalk, something that she says is beautiful.
“There’s no better feeling in the world, truly,” Willo said. “No more rewarding feeling in the world than seeing their faces, seeing them happy.”
In the three-day long Chalk Full of Pride event, everyone was encouraged to participate, rain or shine.
“The staff and the therapists that work here got to chalk yesterday, so we got to do that all together, which was so much fun and then it did get washed away in the rain,” said Jessica King, founder of Stillpoint Counseling and Wellness. “But today, it’s so great to come back out here and see all that the kids have created, that’s what it’s all about.”
That expression and creation is just one part of pride. TR Nunley, who started the event, said that he hopes that pride can help educate the community as well.
“Pride to me is about coming out as yourself,” Nunley said. "And using it as a vehicle to provide education and awareness for LGBTQ issues.”
Nunley, King, Willo and so many others who are celebrating pride on North Carolina’s coast are proud, not just of the LGBTQ community, but the growing acceptance around them as well.
“I’m very proud of Wilmington, and that’s all there is to say,” Willo said. “Very proud of Wilmington.”
Wilmington Transgender Support Services holds a Trans Youth and Parent Support Group every third Friday of the month.