Our guest on this episode is Thomas (T.J.) Horwood (he/him/his) who is the chair and founder of the Stark Pride Festival Committee.

The Stark Pride Festival Committee is a group of volunteer community members and stakeholders working together to plan an annual festival for the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and everyone else who identifies with the community) and ally communities in Stark and surrounding counties.

He has led this committee since 2021 to successfully plan and implement two Stark Pride Festivals in Canton in June 2022 and 2023.

During this episode, T.J. reflects on some of the accomplishments and milestones the LGBTQ+ community has had in recent years and shares his message of hope for the future. We also discuss opportunities for advocacy, support, and collaboration with the LGBTQ+ community, especially in the Stark County area.

You can listen to the Hope Discovered Podcast by CommQuest on your favorite podcasting platform.