a day ago
Springfield Pride Parade annual ‘You Ball' benefits LGBTQ+ youth
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – As part of the 4th annual Springfield Pride Parade weekend a fundrasing gala is supporting and celebrating LGBTQ+ youth.
The Pride Parade Committee's annual 'You Ball Fundraising Gala' took place at MGM Springfield. It gave people a chance to dress up in their best attire, enjoy live performances and auctions. All proceeds go towards the committee's 'Safe Space Program' which provides inclusive and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth across Springfield Public Schools.
'We're in some very trying times right now, so we need to make sure that our youth feel seen and supported, you know, and our Safe space program does just that. You know, it gives our youth the space to be free, be them, be unapologetically themselves. And we just want to make sure that we give them the tools not only to survive, but also to thrive,' said Founder of Springfield Pride Parade Committee, Taurean Bethea.
The founder told 22News they're hoping to raise at least $100,000 to continue expanding the program.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
