The Woodlands area nonprofit There's Room at Our Table organized a Pride celebration consisting of a car parade and performance by Athena Sapphire on June 27.

Emily Harris, founder of There's Room at Our Table, said the event comes on the heels of The Woodlands Township director Shelley Sekula-Gibbs and Conroe ISD board member Dale Inman's previous comments regarding the LGBTQ community.

"Lots of groups have been formed for quite some time to reverse the damage we receive from leaders," Harris said. "This event is for Pride month, and with everything going on with Black Lives Matter, we wanted to make sure they were represented too. We had a great turnout and the weather was great."

Event goers remained in their vehicles and were encouraged to maintain social distancing during the event.

Harris noted CISD Superintendent Curtis Null and The Woodlands Township board member John Brown were in attendance for the event, which she said speaks loudly of the board.


For the time being, Harris said groups such as There's Room at Our Table and The Woodlands Pride are needed for the community.

"These groups will go away when the hate goes away," she said. "We're here for them to support them, but I wish we didn't have to be. I wish there were leaders at the top who were doing what they do with their hurtful comments towards our marginalized communities."