DeLand Pride was founded by Dagny Robertson in the wake of the Orlando Pulse Shooting in June of 2016.

Dagny and her husband, Tom, have 2 sons that they extremely proud of. Their youngest son came out as gay as a teenager and lost several friends in the Pulse shooting. His entire family supported him when he came out but it was still very hard for him to just be himself and not be afraid of what might happen.

After the Pulse shooting Dagny saw the entire world supporting the LGBTQ community and decided it was the right time to show support and acceptance for our diverse community of DeLand.  

Dagny began working with existing LGBTQ Pride groups in our area, including Collective Cares DeLand, to foster the sense of acceptance and well being in the DeLand community and develop a network of safe spaces where everyone could be themselves without fear. 

We are proud to be able to call Abbey Bar in Downtown DeLand home.  They have given us a safe and welcoming place to gather, celebrate, grow, and further cement our roots in Volusia County.