06/01/2026
Good afternoon, everyone! KJ here, and I have a little story for you. It's a bit longer than my usual posts, so bear with me.
When I first started selling Pride products publicly back in 2023, I expected a little bit of backlash. What happened instead was something I did not expect. At almost every single event I had a booth at, I would have young people walk up to me, mostly high schoolers and college age people, and they would just start telling me their stories. Stories about parents and grandparents who hurt them. Stories about teachers and bus drivers who hurt them. Stories about pastors and Sunday school teachers who hurt them. Stories about other students who hurt them. Stories about the days they didn't know if they would make it out alive. They didn't know me. They just saw someone, possibly for the first time in their life, that they knew was a safe person to share their hurt with. I knew there was a need for public support of LGBTQ+ people, which is why I started doing this in the first place, but I still didn't expect that. I didn't expect it to happen almost every time people saw me. I've held each of those stories in my heart. I've cried over those stories. And each one makes me realize more and more how important it is to show people that they are not alone. They are not a mistake. They are not broken. Rather, they are loved. They are just as much a beautiful child of God as anyone else.
These stories are why Pride Month came into existence in the first place. I have hope that one day, we will live in a world where these stories don't need to be told anymore. I hope for a world where these kinds of stories don't happen ever again. And I hope that you and I and all of us together will work to create that world.
So with that being said, this is the first day of our 2nd annual fundraiser! Last year, we raised over $70 for Equality NC. I would be so excited if we got to $100 this year. Here is a link to our "All in Alleghany" collection. You may also order by messaging us directly. And aside from the cost to produce the products and ship them, I do not keep any profits from this fundraiser. 100% of the profits made will go directly back to supporting a good cause: https://malalouds.square.site/shop/all-in-alleghany-products/X4B6OZIBGJYLV2CIGE7IVSTB?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc&location_id=L3SXMQX2XSDQP
You are loved. You matter. And the world is brighter with you in it 💜
(General sales do not go towards this fundraiser. Only products shown and products from our website will go towards this fundraiser)