Rural Oklahoma Pride founders condemn hate after Colorado night club shooting

LGBTQ+ community members from across southwest Oklahoma are condemning violence following the mass shooting at a gay night club in Colorado Springs.

Authorities are investigating it as a hate crime.

Bryan Paddack and Jacob founded Rural Oklahoma Pride to help small communities build pride networks, but when a tragedy like this happens, they said it sends a ripple effect through the LGBTQ+ community, no matter how far away.

“It is scary,” Jacob said, “but it’s something that scares everybody because no one wants to see a change in the world, but that’s what we do best. We go out, we try to change this world, and we want to see peace, love and happiness for our small towns because they deserve it just as well as our bigger cities do.”

Rural Oklahoma Pride serves as a support system for those who live in small towns across the state.

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