Pride in the gay community was evident in Lake County Sunday morning as dozens waited at the Libertyville Metra station to go to the annual Chicago Pride Parade.
Samantha Bone, 22, of Libertyville, said she was going to the parade for the first time.
“I just want to support that community,” she said, “I’m pretty excited to see all the people.”
Bone went to the parade with her mother, Terri Bone, who said she was not concerned about safety after recent attacks and threats to the gay community around the country.
On June 12, 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured during a shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. That same day authorities arrested an Indiana man with alleged plans to bring a cache of weapons to the L.A. Pride festival.
“We were planning to go, but considering the shooting makes it a little more poignant,” Terri Bone said.
Samantha Bone’s cousin, 28-year-old Lindsey Lewis of Rock Hill, S.C., also went to the parade. Lewis said she has been to pride parades in New York, Atlanta and Charlottesville, Va.
“And Chicago is considered the second biggest to go to,” Lewis said.
A.J. Milunas, Nell McGuan and Alyssa Stokovich, all 18-year-olds from Libertyville, also said they were not concerned about safety.
“Personally, I knew I was going to go anyway,” Milunas said. “But some people were scared of going.”
Stokovich added: “Security is going to be amped up … so it’s safer this year. My parents said just be aware of your surroundings.”
Friends Eric Perez, Baylie Mabbett, Brianna Feltner and Liliana Zavala, all 17-year-olds from Gurnee, said they were concerned, but decided to go anyway.
“Our parents didn’t want us to go, but I feel it will be more secure (since the Orlando shooting),” Mabbett said.
Zavala added: “We are showing support for the movement.”
Alo Garcia Escober, 17, of Libertyville, said his parents were worried about him going to the parade.
“I just told them we’d be fine and text them every so often,” he said.
Escobar and his friends said they felt it was important to support the gay community.
Mikayla Rozhon, 18, of Mundelein, said she too was going to support the community.
“Everyone loves everyone now,” she said of the attitude young people have toward the LGBT community.
Kayla Norris, 18, of Mundelein, added: “Everyone has someone (who is gay) in the family now.”
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