*By Madison Alworth*
Photographer Eric Edward Schell turned what was originally meant to be a one-day event organized on Facebook into an ever-expanding community and nonprofit organization celebrating pride.
And he drew his inspiration from the mass shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub two years ago.
Schell told Cheddar he was angered by how his LGBTQIA+ peers were treated and the violence they faced for simply existing. So he organized an event to photograph community members where they could be visible and feel proud and confident of who they are.
From that first Facebook event held in Houston on June 23, 2016, a non-profit called ["Pride Portraits"](https://www.prideportraits.org/) was born.
"It was inspiring in a time of disparity," said Schell. "It is a wonderful way to celebrate who we are and give us humanization, visibility, and representation. Because if you reach people's hearts, then you can change minds."
To date, Pride Portraits has captured over 3,000 pictures of LGBTQIA+ people and their allies all over the country. Celebrities and activists like Candis Cayne, Alyssa Edwards, Nancy Pelosi, and Lance Bass have all been photographed by Schell.
But for him, capturing the lives of everyday LGBTQIA+ individuals is the true point of pride.
"It's been amazing," said Schell, "the amount of amazing people, underrepresented people, within the LGBTQIA community able to take part in Pride Portraits. Because creating a platform for those people is really what I wanted to do."
Schell never charges for Pride Portraits and continues to participate in activist events and marches. The work, he said, is as rewarding as the outcome.
"I've had trans women come to me and say this was the first time I was able to see myself as the beautiful woman that I am."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/using-photography-to-spread-pride).
Due to hospitalization after a go-karting accident, this Missouri teen thought he would miss his high school graduation. Then his school decided to bring the ceremony to him.
Friend breakups aren’t new, but people are starting to talk about them more. Experts say they can be even more painful than romantic breakups, and now there are more resources to help those affected. Cheddar News reporter Ashley Mastronardi reports on efforts to shed more light on this all-too-common issue.
In this edition of Shannon's Summer Staycation, Cheddar's Own Shannon LaNier recreates the glamping experience in his own backyard.
Aileen Del Cid, head of marketing at Samsung TV Plus, sat down with Cheddar News reporter Michelle Castillo to discuss the platform's plans to stand out from the streaming competition with a new channel featuring Conan O'Brien.
Valeria Caceres-Gil, senior manager of admissions and matchmaking at the ASPCA Adoption Center, gives some tips on how to prepare your pet for a road trip.
Jordan Schlansky, associate producer of 'Conan,' sat down and spoke with Cheddar News about Conan O'Brien's launch on Samsung TV Plus, touched on his favorite interviews with Conan and also teased the upcoming Max series, 'Conan Must Go.'
Did you know that Actor Tom Hanks is an avid collector of antique typewriters? He's not alone! Take a look at how Hanks and one New Jersey man formed an unlikely bond over a nearly 100-year-old antique typewriter.
A new, furry, and four-legged member has just joined the Suffolk County Police Department on Long Island. Meet "Luna." Luna is a therapy dog in training with the department and was named in honor of Fallen FDNY Firefighter William "Billy" Moon who lost his life last year. "Luna" means "moon" in Latin. We caught up with that hero's family to chat about what Luna means to them.
This Memorial Day weekend, settle down with plenty of good ol' American reality TV drama, a new season of an old 'What to Stream' favorite, and a quick, deep look at how much we mess up other people's names.
From Queen Bey's tribute to the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll to the banning of a historic poem, here are your top entertainment headlines.
