The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) helped make history by attending the Charlotte Pride Parade, which drew a record-setting nearly 260,000 people last month.
The JLC members attended the event for the first time, joining people from all backgrounds in supporting the LGBTQ+ communities, which aligns with The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI)’s commitment to being an ally.
“After 22 years in the League, I am happy to be here,” said Elizabeth Kovacs, a past JLC President (2010-2011).
The weekend events included a festival on Saturday, August 19, and the parade on Sunday, August 20. The parade became an annual event in the Charlotte community in 2013.
In preparation for the parade, the JLC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee hosted a tie-dye t-shirt event for members and their families and friends to decorate shirts to wear at the event. Other members showed support by wearing limited edition JLC Pride shirts.
This year’s event continued the tradition of celebrating with featured guests, entertainers and lively crowds. The parade set another record as the “biggest parade in Charlotte Pride history with over 40 floats and roughly 10,000 participants,” according to reports.
The event began and ended with a variety of rainbow flags being displayed throughout the streets of Charlotte, and the JLC was proud to have a strong presence this year. One of the many floats and cars that were in the parade we had the pleasure of seeing was long-time Sustaining member of JLC Mayor Vi Lyles.
