PRIDE of Cary

Remember:
“If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”
- RuPaul Charles

Join Pride of Cary at the Matthews House Ballroom as we celebrate a season of loving yourself! You are invited to participate with our blushing bride Byanka Bangsum for a special Self Commitment Ceremony and an Inclusive Valentine's Day Sweetheart Dance with our Netflix Famous DJ! Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy, Drag Artist Performances, Punch, and more! This is a safe and inclusive space for everyone to live & love your authentic self! Limited Availability & Advance Ticket Required ~ 16+ Event.

👉 ALL ticket donations & earmarked additional donations will directly benefit Drag Story Hour Triangle Area. 📚👑🌈

👇Ticket Link👇
https://donorbox.org/events/547148

Sending warm hugs to remind you…

You are perfect just the way you are!

Lovely.

It's Thirsty Thursday! 😄 🏎 Drive on down to the Gayborhood for some great pre-weekend fun! 🤩😜️
(1) Ruby Deluxe has Bikini Bingo with Cici followed by Illume Glow Paint Dance Party featuring Rosebush Liqueur!
(2) FLEX Night Club Raleigh NC has Trailer Park Drag Show with Brenda The Drag Queen. While there, check out the Crewz Leather shop inside!
(3) Case King Entertainment has LGBTQ Hiphop Thursdays at Social Club 112
(4) Get a tasty asian-style dinner & try the weekly cocktail specials at Libations 317
(5) Sip your favorite beers & cocktails while you shop The Green Monkey
(6) Try some fine wines at The Hippo Wine Bar and Shop
(7) Get active with Stonewall Sports - Raleigh Run Club
(8.) Kings & Queens Bowling League continues their Spring Season!
(9) Carolina Aging Alliance - Triangle has discussion group 10am
(10) Triangle Pride Band has Jazz Rehearsal 6:30pm
(11) Grab some sweet treats or tasty breakfast at Morning Rolls
(12) Show off your green thumb shopping at Urban Pothos Plant Shop
(13) Warm up with the purrrrrect coffee at Purr Cup Cafe
❤ Have a Terrific Thursday everyone! 😁🌈

“From the Women’s March to the Black Lives Matter marches around the globe, the most racially and ethnically diverse generation of our time has shown up time and time again, demanding that we do better,” said Senator Laphonza Butler, the first Black le***an to serve in the Senate, in her maiden address on Wednesday.

Read more: https://www.advocate.com/politics/laphonza-butler-first-speech-senate

🏳️‍🌈🦄🏳️‍⚧️
Hello Unicorn!

What an amazing year 2023 was for Pride of Cary! So many firsts for our organization with meaningful impacts and the steepest learning curve EVER! Throughout the year we developed programming, supported representation and visibility, created safe spaces, started conversations & support networks, and saved lives. Moving into the new year we will continue to grow and develop our organization building on these experiences. With all of this in mind, our mission and vision have become more focused based on the needs and concerns expressed during our time growing in 2023.

The decision has been made to refine our mission statement to a clear and simple goal. Moving forward at this time our mission is as follows ~ "Pride Of Cary is a grassroots LGBTQIA+ nonprofit charity creating safe and inclusive spaces and events in Cary NC and neighboring areas." With our mission becoming stronger it will greatly support our vision of a Cary where every LGBTQIA+ person is celebrated, valued, and empowered to live authentically, free from discrimination; and where diversity is embraced as a source of strength, unity, and thriving community life.

With the restructure in 2024 has come the opportunity for new branches of our organization to develop. The Cary LGBTQIA+ Social Circle is shaping into a monthly safe space gathering hosted at various local businesses where people can socialize, network, build friendships, find allies, and share ideas. Interest has been expressed in the development of the Cary Q***r Political Concern to organize "principles over politics" gatherings and events to address developing anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and candidates. In late February, a newly formed Board Of Advisors will begin meeting quarterly to strengthen and develop the organization moving forward and to assist with operations and programming. Moves are currently being made to complete the development of the new website (prideofcary.com) as a hub for information and resources for the Cary Community. This year we are hosting our first annual Valentine's Benefit & Inclusive Sweethearts Ball benefiting Drag Story Hour Triangle Area. We also plan on again chaperoning in the spring for Q***r Prom with Hope For Teens, entering A Gift to Cary Christmas Tree project, and Participation in the Jaycee's Holiday Parade; three of our favorite things! Our educational and representation initiatives for Trans Day Of Visibility and Trans Day of Remembrance are also being continued again this year with support from our advocates at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church. In the year ahead there are even more volunteer opportunities, blood drives to save lives with Blood Connection, building partnerships, gathering resources, and of course a few shenanigans!

It is only with your support and participation that we achieved so much in the previous year and with that continuing drive to succeed we see great things to come in the year ahead. Thank you so much for being a part of Pride of Cary!

Warm regards,
C. Michael Yates
They/Them
Founder/Facilitator

PRIDE of Cary
1391 Kildaire Farm Road, #1033
Cary, N.C. 27511-5525
919.378.1883

🕯️

Trans Latina Kitty Monroe of Phoenix is the First Reported Victim Of 2024 Violence - Pittsburgh Le***an Correspondents The first trans person killed in 2024 is Kitty Monroe, 43. Equally important, she lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Also, Kitty was a Latina trans woman. The Crime Witnesses who came forward have said she was attacked about 2 a.m. Jan. 1 by a man and woman in the parking lot of Casa de Licores, a

Amid an insidious wave of anti-trans legislation across the country, RuPaul used his Emmy Awards acceptance speech to share a powerful message about drag queen story hours.

Read more // 📷 Getty Images // 🖊️ Marina Fang, Candice Frederick

🤯 WOW! Thank You Triangle On The Cheap for supporting inclusive events in Wake County! Ticket Donations Are Open Until Midnight February 5, 2024. This event is open to ages 16+ and tickets are limited. Ticket Donations Will Benefit Drag Story Hour Triangle Area

👇Tickets Available Here 👇
https://donorbox.org/events/547148

Never hide your light, never. 🏳️‍⚧️🔥🏳️‍🌈

Today and every day matters.🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Today, we honor the life and legacy of a visionary leader, Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to the pursuit of equality, justice, and love. His powerful words and unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire generations.

Let's reflect on his teachings and strive to create a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Together, we can carry forward his legacy of unity, compassion, and the dream of a truly equal society.

Our friends at Hope for Teens are offering this wonderful training on allyship with partners at the Trevor Project. Proceeds from this will go towards Q***r Prom, 2024. We encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity from our sister organization! 🏳️‍🌈❤️🏳️‍⚧️

Thank you to our family at Wake Forest Pride! What a great evening listening to Secret Monkey Weekend and making new friends!

It's Girl Scout Cookie Season! Show your Pride with your support 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🍪🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

2024 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From! This year, consider ordering your Girl Scout cookies from a trans girl scout to make their day!

🚨🚨🚨

YOU are LOVED 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

“A report from the shows that just one accepting adult can reduce the risk of a su***de attempt by 40 percent.”

Would you like to join our almost 30,000 volunteers across the country?

Just one you, could save a life.

Freemomhugs.org
(Link in bio)

Know your history 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Annie Avril Nightingale CBE was an English radio and television broadcaster. She was the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970 and the first female presenter for BBC Television's The Old Grey Whistle Test where she stayed for eleven years.

Nightingale specialised in championing new and underground music, she also led the movement and encouraged other women to become DJs and broadcasters. She was BBC Radio 1's longest serving broadcaster and held the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a female radio presenter.

As a result of meeting Dusty Springfield (https://www.instagram.com/p/CL5UawTlWrG/?hl=en), editor of the new ground-breaking pop TV show Ready Steady Go!, Nightingale was invited to host a new sister TV show. She joined Associated-Rediffusion TV and hosted That's For Me. Nightingale presented the pop culture show, booked guest musicians not previously been seen on TV such as the Yardbirds, and introduced the Who's first promotion film.

Nightingale was given a trial run of six programmes before she was signed as the first female DJ on Radio 1. Her first shows (after a trial run on Sunday nights), were daytime afternoon slots, handed over from Terry Wogan. Nightingale remained the only female DJ until 1982 when she was joined by Janice Long. By then, Nightingale was granted her request to broadcast her show in the evenings, which gave her scope to play emerging underground and experimental music.

In 2021, Nightingale's weekly Radio 1 show, then in its 52nd year was moved to an earlier slot, 11 pm on Tuesdays. In November 2021, Nightingale launched the Radio 1 scholarships. Nightingale discovered female and non-binary DJs, three who were given a special one-off slot on a Saturday night.

(Text from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Nightingale)

Amazing Opportunity To Support A Sister Organization and Local Artist 🎨🖌️🏳️‍🌈

Exciting Surprise for tomorrow’s event at The Wake Forest Listening Room with Secret Monkey Weekend!

Local artist Jeanne Santucci has donated an opportunity to work with her to create your very own custom art piece.

Check some of her amazing work out on instagram at Earthsmagicarts