June is Pride month, and the Chippewa Valley is celebrating with Pride in the Park on June 12 in Phoenix Park!
Whether you are planning to attend the Chippewa Valley celebration or not, please consider purchasing from one of these local LGBTQIA+ owned businesses.
Fern Westover (Owned by Cat Loenardson)
Prounouns: They/them
Identifies as: White, genderqueer
About: I create bold statement earrings for statement personalities - as well as keychains, wall hangings, and more!
Pride is important to me because it’s a time to celebrate those who have different paths than my own, or who have been underrepresented in various ways. It’s a time to lift up those that have been torn down for so long.
Supporting businesses owned by underrepresented individuals is extremely important because your money goes directly into the pockets of a queer person or POC trying to make a livelihood for themselves. Supporting big businesses and corporations does nothing to help out your friends and neighbors in need who deserve to be lifted up ❤️
Love Action Art (Owned by Pey Carter)
Pronouns: They/Them
Identifies as: Caucasian, Agender & Pansexual
Love Action Art is also veteran and family owned.
About: Love Action Art is a sticker shop also featuring acrylic pins, magnets and buttons. Themes include pride, social justice, disc golf, humor and more!
While I've known my sexual identity since high school but only started putting words to my gender identity in the last year. I am lucky to have supportive friends but there are many people that don't have the support I do. I think pride is important because it provides an opportunity for people to be more authentically themselves and surrounded by others like them as well as allies.
As an individual, it is a time where I can be surrounded by the community and all things rainbow. As a business, it is an opportunity to show support. Our presence at Pride lets the community know that we believe they matter and that pride month matters.
Support businesses owned by underrepresented people. I am part of the LGBTQ community and the disability community. I am disabled due to PTSD, Ehlers-Danlos, Dysautonomia, & POTS. It was hard as a young (fairly) person to come to terms with and accepting my identity as a disabled person. It is difficult when what you want to do doesn't match what your body can do. I started designing stickers last year as a method of art therapy. My Etsy store gives me joy and purpose as well as an opportunity to do something fun and creative with my daughter, Abbey.
The Wretched Raven (Owned by Holden Bour)
Prounouns: He/Him/His
Identifies as: Male
About: It is a very small family business that is a mixture of science fiction, fantasy, costuming, history, gifts, and year-round merchandise that reflects equality and hope for all.
Why Pride is important to you: It’s important to know what came before, the struggles people went through to gain equality, and the work that still needs to be done. It is important for people to be themselves.
It is important for people to be themselves. Diversity in small town Wisconsin is important.
SHOP THE WRETCHED RAVEN