[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 105 (Thursday, June 15, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2946-H2947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRATULATING QUEER IN CANTON

  (Mrs. SYKES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SYKES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly represent Ohio's 13th 
Congressional District, and this Pride Month I rise to recognize Queer 
in Canton as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's Champion of the Week.
  Queer in Canton was founded in 2020 by Abby Henry and Curstynn Marks, 
two young, dedicated, and inspiring people who saw a gap in resources 
available to queer people in Canton and Stark County, and they resolved 
to make a change.
  Queer in Canton works to cultivate the LGBTQ+ community in Stark 
County and create a more equal community in Canton and beyond.
  During the second annual Stark Pride Festival last weekend, Abby 
announced that after 2 years of fundraising, Queer in Canton has 
successfully raised the $20,000 they needed to open Stark County's 
first community center to support those who identify as LGBTQ+ and 
their allies.
  This community center will offer LGBTQ+ residents a safe place to 
call home, a space where the queer community can socialize, access 
resources, and have the freedom to be their authentic selves.

[[Page H2947]]

  Once again, congratulations to Queer in Canton for this monumental 
achievement and for their advocacy this Pride Month and beyond. They 
are truly making a difference in Ohio's 13th Congressional District and 
making it the best place to live, work, and raise a family, no matter 
who you love or how you identify.

                          ____________________