TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Pride Diversity parade is on Saturday, March 29, in Ybor City. It celebrates people who are making a difference in the local LGBTQ+ community.
This year’s grand marshal community ally is Anne-Marie Hoeck.
She’s also the state chapter leader of Free Mom Hugs Florida, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community through visibility, education, and conversation.
Hoeck recently spoke with ABC Action News anchor Lauren St. German and said that the organization has over 39,000 volunteers in all 50 states.
They also have speaking engagements and go to different events.
“We also have people come up and say they don’t have any accepting family members. They may have been kicked out of their homes, and just to have some kind of brief conversation or physical contact like a hug or high five, that brief moment of acceptance just means so much, and they take that away with them,” said Anne-Marie Hoeck, the State Chapter Leader, Free Mom Hugs Florida
The Tampa Pride Diversity Parade starts at 4 p.m. You can stream it live on ABC Action News Plus, which is free to download on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.
Pinellas County wakes up to storm damage after tornado rips through the area
The tornado ripped off roofs, snapped trees and scattered debris throughout the area, but thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported.
