The Stride for Pride brings faculty and students together to celebrate Pride Month

Wayne State students, faculty, and community members gathered for the annual Stride for Pride on June 8th to raise money and awareness for the Ruth Ellis Center in honor of Pride Month.

This event was led by Josh Wilburn, a philosophy professor, and the Gender, Sexuality, and Women Studies program at WSU. They are proud to support such an impactful nonprofit that helps a variety of LGBTQ+ youth with an emphasis on youths of color in Detroit.

This event was not only a great way to show exhibit pride but also to bring together the community to shine a light on a great cause. The idea of a Stride for Pride was born out of the need for a new and creative way to raise awareness and money for The Ruth Ellis Center during the pandemic. The solution was to invite people to get outside and get some fresh air while raising money for a good cause.

"Last year, we at Wayne State put a team together and started our tradition of participating in this event, which we plan to do annually," said Wilburn.

Wilburn has high hopes for future Strides for Pride and aims to push for this annual event's growth to further expand into the campus community. Wilburn wants to continue raising more money and awareness of the many life-changing resources the Ruth Ellis Center offers for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Detroit.

"We would love to see more people from the Wayne State community participate, so we would like to get the word out and grow this event as much as possible," said Wilburn.

Visit the Ruth Ellis Center's website to learn more about the foundation or to make a donation.