High school student Erin Bailey is going to get an A on her senior project. She just pulled off something no one else has. She hosted a pride festival in Vice President Mike Pence’s hometown.

Over 1,000 people braved chill winds and rain to show support for the LGBT community in Columbus, Indiana. Shortly after the event started, the rain died off and the sun came out to shine on the parade of people streaming through the downtown streets.

The city of 47,000 people welcomed the visitors warmly. The Old National Bank downtown had rainbow colored banners in the windows touting diversity and inclusion.

Cummins Engine Company, the Fortune 500 company that inadvertently kicked off the town’s first LGBT protest in 2000 when it began offering domestic partner benefits, flew the rainbow flag over their corporate headquarters.

About the same amount of people rallied in the town after the company announced their decision, praying that the corporation would repeal their decision. Letters to the editor flooded the local newspaper, religious right leaders all over the state goaded their flock with prophecies of damnation and drag queens, and many in Columbus would have gladly pulled in the welcome mat. Read more via LGBTQ Nation

Mike Pence's hometown to host its first gay pride festival, with high school senior at helm

The face painting, rainbow S’mores on a stick and drag performances planned for Columbus, Ind.’s first gay pride festival are for fun.

But organizers hope the April 14 event also will send a message of inclusiveness from the hometown of Vice President Pence, who has a long record of being on the opposite side of issues important to the gay and lesbian community.

“Most people would think that all of us here are also anti-LGBT,” said Erin Bailey, the high school senior organizing the April 14 event. “But there are plenty of us who very much support the LGBT community and are members of the community.”

Still, count the vice president among those applauding Erin’s initiative.

“Vice President Pence commends Erin Bailey for her activism and engagement in the civic process,” spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a statement. “As a proud Hoosier and Columbus native, he’s heartened to see young people from his hometown getting involved in the political process.” Read more via IndyStar