Skip to content
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Cook County Commissioner Kevin B. Morrison, District 15
  • About Kevin
  • Services
    • Roads and Zoning
    • District Opportunities
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Museum Pass Reserve
  • News
    • Cook County Budget
  • Contact
    • Newsletter Signup
  • About Kevin
  • Services
    • - Roads and Zoning
    • - District Opportunities
    • - COVID-19 Resources
    • - Museum Pass Reserve
  • News
    • - Cook County Budget
  • Contact
    • - Newsletter Signup

Inaugural Buffalo Grove Pride Parade

Inaugural Buffalo Grove Pride Parade

June 4, 2019district15News

**From NBC News

Teen’s dream of pride parade in her hometown to become a reality

Molly Pinta, 13, decided last year that she wanted to start a pride parade in her hometown of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Now, that dream is coming true.
June 1, 2019, 11:52 AM CDT
By Eric Duran

Last June, when she was just 12, Molly Pinta went to her very first pride parade and had an ambitious idea: She wanted to start an LGBTQ pride event in her hometown of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Instead of leaving that idea to her imagination, Molly got to work, and now her dream is becoming a reality.

Molly Pinta on May 17, 2019.
Molly Pinta on May 17, 2019. Jordyn Rubin

“It feels really amazing that all the hard work has paid off,” Pinta, now 13, told NBC News. “A year ago we couldn’t even imagine that we would be as far as we are and that we would have raised so much money.”

With the help of her supportive parents, Carolyn and Bob Pinta, Molly Pinta raised over $40,000 to host the inaugural Buffalo Grove Family-Friendly Pride Parade, which will take place on Sunday.

“This parade really is important because of all the kids who don’t have supportive homes, and they need to get it somewhere, and this is where they can get it,” Molly Pinta told NBC Chicago.

The Pinta family also started their own nonprofit, the Pinta Pride Project. Carolyn Pinta said she hopes they can continue empowering the LGBTQ community in Buffalo Grove — a town of about 40,000 people less than an hour away from Chicago — by holding future parades and offering more events during the year.

Molly Pinta and her parents, Carolyn and Bob Pinta
Molly Pinta and her parents, Carolyn and Bob PintaCourtesy Carolyn Pinta

“We thought the year would be raising money for the parade,” Carolyn Pinta said. “It turned into a group of people that really love and support each other, and help parents and teens that are navigating the waters of someone new in the family coming out.”

The inaugural Buffalo Grove Family-Friendly Pride Parade has received the support of many local groups and government officials, including Kevin Morrison, whose election in November was historic.

“I was inspired to run for office to become the first LGBTQ person on the Cook County Board of Commissioners because of people like Molly,” Morrison told NBC News. “I’m so glad to see events like these not just downtown but in my own community.”

Buffalo Grove’s inaugural pride event will take place on Sunday, June 2, and will feature 50 sponsors and more than 90 local groups, organizations and lawmakers from the Chicago area. But following the historic event, Molly Pinta’s work for Pride Month is not over.

Read the full article on the NBC News website here.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Previous
Next
Newsletter Sign-up
Tweets by KBMorrison15
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Medium

Calendar

Events

Cook County Website

District Map

Resources

Contact

District Office: 1325 Wiley Rd, Suite 141, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: (847) 519-7674

Downtown Office: 118 N Clark St, Room 567, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 603-6388

Email: District15@CookCountyIL.gov

Pages

  • About Kevin
  • American Rescue Plan Act
  • Census 2020
  • Contact Us
  • Cook County Budget
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Museum Pass Reserve
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Roads and Zoning
  • Services
    • District Opportunities
Theme by Think Up Themes Ltd. Powered by WordPress.