Corbin PRIDE

06/01/2026

🌈 Happy Pride Month!🌈

Pride Month is a celebration, but in Appalachia, it’s also something more: visibility, resilience, and community.

For generations, LGBTQ+ people have lived, loved, worked, and raised families in these mountains. Despite the stereotype that q***r people don’t belong in rural communities, we’ve always been here. Pride is a reminder that our stories, identities, and contributions are part of the fabric of Appalachia.

In a region where many still face isolation, discrimination, or the pressure to hide who they are, Pride creates space for connection, support, and hope. It tells every LGBTQ+ person from the smallest holler to the largest city, that they are not alone.

This month, we celebrate the progress we’ve made, honor those who paved the way, and recommit ourselves to building an Appalachia where everyone can live openly, safely, and authentically.

Because Pride isn’t just for big cities. It belongs in our mountains, our small towns, our communities, and our hearts.

Happy Pride Month. We are here. We have always been here. And we’re not going anywhere. 🏳️‍🌈💜

06/01/2026

Hello ,
This is a follow up post regarding PRIDE.

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone for commenting such encouraging words and spreading the need for support. During the rise of far right authoritarianism and white nationalism in our country, it is imperative that we take action. Supporting your local PRIDE organizations and organizers is very important.

In the past, folks have tried organizing protests in regards to trans rights. They faced a lot of aggression from local white supremacists. A large reason folks STOP organizing is because this work is harrowing. It is hard. You literally cannot do it without people showing up. The burn out is real. I'm saying this on behalf of all organizers who are doing this work...IT TAKES COMMUNITY TO ENDURE LONGTERM.

So my commitment is this: I will stand with my community and commit to PRIDE if I have others standing with me.

In the 1960s, LGBTQ folks like Marsha P Johnson clashed with police when they raided the Stonewall Inn and gay bars, arresting many gay folks. During that same time period, The Rainbow Coalition started by Fred Hampton rose up bringing together multiple networks of people for the common goal of fighting shared oppression. The Freedom Riders were a network of people who challenged segregation on interstate bus transport. What do all of these historical organizers have in common?

None of them organized alone.

This is why I am encouraging anyone who can show up to volunteer, to please do so. Let us take a lead from our historical leaders and learn how we can fight fascism and white nationalism. We are vulnerable alone but together we are strong. But not without the support of folks brave enough to show up and do the work.

I have sent out an invite to those who messaged me about volunteering. If you would like an invite to our community chat, please send me a DM and I will send you an invite.

Progress meter:
Permit: Obtained
Volunteers: In Progress
Next Step: Fundraising

Action Items:
Join Community Chat
Fill out Volunteer Form
Take poll

05/30/2026

Hey guys, Rebecca here.
I am posting this with bad news. After I shared the event date, I was informed by a community member about a potential threat from local white supremacists. The rumor was they wanted to show up at our event and “remind us who Corbin belongs to”.

After some time trying to get others to support me in organizing PRIDE, I unfortunately have no one standing behind me. After thinking through this and asking advice from other PRIDE groups and friends from other states, I have decided I cannot and will not put myself in a vulnerable position to put on PRIDE by myself. It really sucks and it feels like quitting. But when dealing with these kinds of threats, you cannot organize alone. It is not safe.

If you’re as upset about this as I am, but you still want pride to happen, feel free to send me a message. I’m willing to organize with people to put this on because it only takes a small group of people standing together to create a united front but I cannot do it alone.

There’s more details to the issue but from all the conversations I’ve had with other organizers, the common theme has been I can’t move forward without a team. It is possible to have PRIDE in Corbin, but it’s not a job for just one person.

05/16/2026

Corbin PRIDE will take place on September 26, 2026 from 12PM-4PM at NIBROC Park!

Interested vendors, please keep an eye out for Vendor Applications!

PLEASE NOTE: NO VENDOR USING AI WILL BE APPROVED TO VEND AT THIS EVENT - Corbin PRIDE values human made in all processes. We are accepting 20 vendors this year since space is limited. We also have space for 2-3 food vendors. Vendor fees are $40 for 10 x 10 space. *If you need more space than this, please let us know.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

05/13/2026

An update on PRIDE this year.

It has been decided that Corbin PRIDE will take place this fall rather than in June. There are many reasons for this:

There is no one who is available in June to organize this event. It takes many hands and voices to put on an event like this. And we are always looking for volunteers because as of right now it is just one person organizing. My hope is that changing the month from June to September will open people’s availability.

Lexington and Louisville both have their PRIDES during June. In the past, it often felt like we had to compete for people’s time. Lots of people want to experience other PRIDE events all over the state. My hope is that by changing our PRIDE to September, we can accommodate our community to attend as many events as possible. We also realize the local PRIDE event put on by St. John’s Episcopal Church is in June. So by being mindful of London’s Pride date and other PRIDE events, I hope by changing our date from June to September will allow us to get more traffic.

Additionally, June is quite hot. Our event is outside and last year, it was hot plus not much shade equals more chance of heat sickness.

I hope that this change will allow more people to join our event. Not just people wanting to attend but also to serve our community. Because I’m going to be honest, this event NEEDS a group of people but I’m having a pretty hard time getting people to want to show up to help out. If we want Corbin to have an event, we all have to contribute to make it possible! The past two years myself and the other person who has organized have had two successful, wonderful events!

My hope is that even without us, we can get people together to put on this event. I (Rebecca) believe it is too important of an event to just NOT do. And it shouldn’t be reliant on one or two people because not only is it a lot of work, it is also not MY event. It is not the other organizer’s event. It is OUR community’s event.

If anyone has any questions, please reach out! My goal is to create transparency and open communication about the Corbin LGBTQ folks needs and wants regarding PRIDE!

02/11/2026

The Fairness Campaign is Kentucky’s LGBTQ advocacy organization, founded in 1991 by 10 Louisvillians.

12/03/2025

Still looking for a few more to fill this out ages 18-23!

“I am very close to meeting my goal of 30 participants for the study (so exciting!). I hope to have a sample that has a mixture of LGBTQ+ identities and urban/rural upbringing in Kentucky. I have a couple of open spots left among those who are 18-23 and grew up in either rural or urban regions of Kentucky.

If y'all have any folks in mind within the 18-23 age range or have any groups that are for young adults, please feel free to send the flyer/post sent in the prior message.
Thank you for everything y'all do for the LGBTQ+ community and your support of my study! 😊”

Sharing for PHD Candidate Jenny Tinman. This study’s potential findings may inform and support intervention efforts for LGBTQ+ childhood adversity and behavioral health, as well as increase resilience in the LGBTQ+ population.

“I am a UofL School of Public Health and Information Science PhD Candidate, which is why this may inform future intervention efforts. 🙂 The survey (which is on the recruitment materials) will allow me to determine if folks are eligible. If I determine they are eligible, I will contact them for a 90 minute interview to discuss childhood adversity, behavioral health, coping and resiliency, which may be influenced on where they live in Kentucky or their LGBTQ+ identity. Those who complete the interview component of this study will receive a $30 digital Kroger or Amazon gift card (based on their preference).”

If you’d like to participate, check below for details!

10/27/2025

Sharing for PHD Candidate Jenny Tinman. This study’s potential findings may inform and support intervention efforts for LGBTQ+ childhood adversity and behavioral health, as well as increase resilience in the LGBTQ+ population.

“I am a UofL School of Public Health and Information Science PhD Candidate, which is why this may inform future intervention efforts. 🙂 The survey (which is on the recruitment materials) will allow me to determine if folks are eligible. If I determine they are eligible, I will contact them for a 90 minute interview to discuss childhood adversity, behavioral health, coping and resiliency, which may be influenced on where they live in Kentucky or their LGBTQ+ identity. Those who complete the interview component of this study will receive a $30 digital Kroger or Amazon gift card (based on their preference).”

If you’d like to participate, check below for details!

07/08/2025

07/03/2025

Thank you for covering our event! Can’t wait until next year! Keep your peepers open for more events from Corbin PRIDE

CORBIN — This past Saturday, vibrant energy filled Sanders Park in downtown Corbin as community members celebrated with the second annual Pride event.