BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — On Sunday, Bonita Springs Pride is holding its first-ever Pride Festival at the Centers for the Arts.
"In Spanish, Bonita means beautiful, so why not be Bonita and create a Bonita Springs Pride," said Dominique Sierra, founder and president of Bonita Springs Pride.
That's what Dominique and Lora Sierra, her wife and board director, did in March — create Bonita Springs Pride. They had held fundraising events prior, but made it official with a non-profit.
WATCH BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
Before, if someone wanted to go to a pride center, they would have to go to Cape Coral or Naples.
"We didn't realize how much Bonita Springs needed something like this," Dominique said.
"It is about creating a safe space and a community," Lora said.
They do that through events, like Sunday's pride festival.
"You're going to have a lot of non-profit resource centers, you have Refuge Church will be there, you have some counseling," Dominique said. "You’re going to have food trucks, you’re going to have vendors, you’re going to have a VIP station."
They're also going to have family-friendly drag shows.
"We need to show kids it is OK to be you, even in drag," Lora said. "It is inside, so you have the option of not going inside. That's fine. But it's also kind of exciting that we're going to be inside."
It's one of many events to come, with a bigger goal in mind.
"We do have hopes of having a center. That will take some time though," Dominique said.
Until then, the Sierras want to show the community support and provide a space for people to be who they are.
"There's so many more people just like you," Lora said. "Be yourself, because that's all we want you to be."
The event starts at noon, but there's a ribbon cutting at 11:45 a.m. at the Centers for the Arts.
For information and to purchase tickets, click here.
