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Page 16 <strong>Medway</strong> & <strong>Millis</strong> Local Town Pages | www.millismedwaynews.com <strong>July</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
Lawn Sign Campaign Raises Support<br />
for Local LGBTQ+ Community<br />
Initiative raised<br />
$1,500 for OUT MetroWest<br />
outreach<br />
programs<br />
By Theresa Knapp<br />
MEDWAY - You have likely<br />
seen them around town, the<br />
signs with a multi-colored heart<br />
that read “We Support, Love,<br />
Uplift, Empower, & Celebrate<br />
Our LGBTQ+ Community<br />
Members” but did you know<br />
they were designed by a local<br />
teen for a campaign organized<br />
by two <strong>Medway</strong> women?<br />
The signs can be found in<br />
many communities including<br />
<strong>Medway</strong>, Hopkinton, Franklin,<br />
Medfield, Dedham, Brookline,<br />
Acton, and more.<br />
“If one kid is on the bus in<br />
<strong>Medway</strong> and is feeling alone<br />
and not supported, and they<br />
see one of these signs and feels<br />
the community loves and supports<br />
them, then I met the goal<br />
of the project because my son<br />
did not have that,” says Andrea<br />
Moores whose son’s experience<br />
in the <strong>Medway</strong> schools drives<br />
her to help others feel included.<br />
“He had a hard time when he<br />
came out, I know it was hard<br />
for him. He had love and support<br />
at home but did not always<br />
feel he was in a community that<br />
supported him, and it definitely<br />
affected his high school years.”<br />
With Pride month approaching,<br />
Moores found herself in<br />
conversation with Angelica<br />
Crosby, who (along with seven<br />
other people) founded <strong>Medway</strong><br />
Marches in 2020 with a vision<br />
to create “deep-rooted, continual<br />
change” while working<br />
TADA members including Aoife Bergeron, center, who<br />
designed the sign. Courtesy photo.<br />
to build an inclusive<br />
community.<br />
In 2020, Pride activities<br />
were cancelled because of the<br />
COVID-19 pandemic and the<br />
women “did not want another<br />
June to go by without our youth<br />
feeling love and support during<br />
Pride,” says Crosby.<br />
“Andrea and I wanted to<br />
take some pressure off of the<br />
high school students and focus<br />
on creating a community<br />
event,” says Crosby. “<strong>Medway</strong><br />
Marches strives to create space<br />
for Black, Indigenous and people<br />
of color within our suburb<br />
and it was obvious LGBTQ+<br />
issues are also our issues seeing<br />
as Black and Brown people are<br />
even more marginalized within<br />
the community. The majority<br />
of those brutalized during<br />
stonewall were gay or trans<br />
Black people.”<br />
Moores and Crosby worked<br />
with the TADA (Tolerance<br />
Acceptance Diversity Alliance)<br />
group at <strong>Medway</strong> High<br />
School, and the local sign idea<br />
was created. The sign itself<br />
was designed by student Aoife<br />
Bergeron, TADA president.<br />
They also worked with <strong>Medway</strong><br />
Youth Against Racism, a<br />
community group that started<br />
in 2020 after a former MHS<br />
student shared their personal<br />
experience on Facebook.<br />
The organizers held a lawn<br />
sale pickup event in late May<br />
which they described as a “playful<br />
and fun event” where people<br />
LAWN SIGNS<br />
continued on page 17<br />
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