A 32-foot RV is expected to arrive in Charlotte next week to support the LGBTQ+ and underserved communities as part of a national tour.
The "Caravan of Hope" plans to visit 17 cities, including places such as Chicago, Denver, and Oklahoma City, in 31 days. The tour is led by Angela Giampolo, a lawyer behind the initiative that will provide a range of free services.
‘Things like name changes, gender marker changes if the state laws permit,” Giampolo said. "A lot of the states were going to it’s not legal to change their gender marker anymore. It was previously when I went in the past.”
Giampolo started the initiative in 2016 in response to Trump’s first election, when members of the LGBTQ+ community reached out with concerns about their rights. When deciding what places to visit, Giampolo says she chooses cities that are closer to rural areas and where people who are part of the LGBTQ+ communities would feel comfortable coming out to seek support.
“I purposely set up the map not to be in deep rural areas, but instead medium-sized cities along the way where folks are used to, and Charlotte is a hub,” Giampolo said. "Folks are used to traveling there for queer resources, a long-standing, pioneering city trying to make their city safe for LGBTQ folks.”
The caravan will be at Time Out Youth, 3800 Monroe Road, next Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
