WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A vibrant celebration of love and identity filled The Peach in West Palm Beach Saturday as Pride on the Block brought together neighbors, allies, and activists in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The event serves as the largest fundraiser for Transpire Help, a non-profit organization that provides crucial services including substance use treatment, mental health care, and stable housing to LGBTQ+ individuals.
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"It's such a great feeling to be around people in our community and express how you want to be represented," Cortney Salley, an LGBTQ+ community member, said.
Donna Weinberger, founder of Transpire Help, said the event creates a space where attendees can feel celebrated.
"People can come and be filled with unity and joy and happiness and be able to be in one spot and feel safe," Weinberger said.
For performers like Liam Chambers, the event carries deep personal meaning. Chambers credits Transpire Help with helping turn his life around.
"I am three years sober and now I can get on the stage, I'm a drag king and I wouldn't have been able to do it without them," Chambers said.
Transpire Help's services are especially critical for those without access to traditional health care resources.
"A big part of our community and especially gender diverse folk do not have health insurance or funds so they wouldn't be able to access treatment," Weinberger said.
Weinberger said the fundraiser is more important than ever, as cuts to government funding have slashed the number of people the organization can help in half.
Jack Cesivon, an LGBTQ+ community member, said the organization's impact is undeniable.
"I've seen the differences in my own life and in people all around me. I mean Transpire has helped people that literally have nobody," Cesivon said.
Beyond fundraising, the event aimed to raise visibility and ensure every attendee felt supported.
"Being here I get to be amongst people who hear me and see me and it's like one of the most authentic experiences ever," Jake Jayalin Eggert, an LGBTQ+ community member, said.
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