The new NW Indiana Gay Straight Coalition hosts a kickoff party Sept. 10 at the art space building in Michigan City, Indiana, located at 717 Franklin.
The focus of this newly formed group will be to create a community-based organization with goals of fostering policies of gun safety reform without taking away gun ownership rights, and creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for the LGBT community in Northwest Indiana.
"Indiana could not be a more critical state in the union for these issues," stated John Parro, president of the organization. Acceptance of the LGBT community in Indiana is far less than what it is in neighboring states such as Illinois, and the rights and dignity of this group have been called into question by public figures as high as the vice presidential nominee Mike Pence of Indiana.
"Gun violence at an all-time high in our country has forced many to begin grassroots efforts for common sense reform." the group stated. "Indiana plays a critical role in gun violence in Illinois, where less stringent regulations create cross-border purchases used in many killings in Chicago."
This event will be used to raise money for purposes of awareness of these issues with a goal of policy change on the state and local level.
See endtheviolence.eventbrite.com .