What began as one person’s determination to create space for the LGBTQ community in Barnegat has quickly grown into a full-fledged grassroots movement — a movement that is reshaping the conversation around inclusion, in a place where that conversation hasn’t always been easy.
Barnegat Pride may still be young, but its impact has been swift. In less than two years, the organization has gone from a simple idea to a nonprofit offering regular community programming, free resources, and one of the region’s fastest-growing Pride celebrations.
At the center of it all is founder Carrie Diona, whose personal journey, combined with a deep-rooted belief in community service, sparked the creation of the organization. “I realized there were absolutely no resources here for the LGBTQIA community,” Diona says. “And after living in Barnegat for so many years, I felt like something needed to change.”
Barnegat Pride officially launched on March 29, 2024. Diona had spent years involved in community service, an ethic she credits to her parents, who spent decades helping others. “I grew up watching my parents help people. Community service was just always part of my life,” said Diona.
Still, turning that instinct into a nonprofit organization took a push from a friend who recognized Diona’s passion and urged her to create a Pride organization in Barnegat. When Diona hesitated, concerned about the financial burden of starting a nonprofit, her friend stepped in and offered the initial funding.. “That was the day Barnegat Pride started,” Diona said. What followed was a whirlwind.
Within 10 days of incorporating, the organization secured official nonprofit status, a rapid turnaround that allowed the group to begin operating immediately. “We really just hit the ground running,” she said.
Filling a critical gap
While Pride celebrations have long been part of New Jersey’s cultural landscape, they tend to cluster in larger cities or established LGBTQ hubs such as Asbury Park. By contrast, Ocean County has historically lacked LGBTQ resources. “There’s no full-service LGBTQIA organization from Asbury Park all the way down to Mays Landing. None,” said Diona.
That absence meant many local residents, particularly young people, had nowhere nearby to turn for support, community, or guidance. Barnegat Pride set out to change that. Today, the organization hosts three regular events every month, all designed to foster connection while providing meaningful resources.
On the first Tuesday of each month, the group hosts Reading With Pride, a book club held in partnership with the Ocean County Library at the Stafford branch.
The first Thursday of every month offers something more therapeutic: a free group therapy session. Hosted by Dr Christine Chapais at the Waretown United Methodist Church, the sessions provide a safe, intimate space where participants can talk openly and connect with others who may be navigating similar experiences.
Mid-month gatherings take a more social approach. Community meetings and game nights offer opportunities for conversation, guest speakers, and education from organizations such as Sea Change, Saint Francis Counseling Center, and Hackensack Meridian Health. “We’re not just about Pride Month,” Diona says. “We’re about building community all year long.”
Barnegat Pride’s emergence hasn’t happened in a vacuum. The organization is operating in a region where acceptance has historically been inconsistent, and where tensions with local government have sometimes surfaced. Diona says that has her younger years she often confronted those issues head-on. Today, she takes a different approach. “Instead of fighting with local government. I look to work with them,” she says. That shift has helped open doors.
Barnegat Pride now maintains strong working relationships with local emergency services, including the police and fire departments. Diona says this have been essential in creating trust within the community. For some LGBTQ residents, those relationships represent a significant change. “A lot of our members didn’t trust government or police before, But now they do because they see those departments supporting Barnegat Pride.”
That support became especially visible during Barnegat Pride’s first Pride festival. Held last year, the event exceeded expectations. The festival featured 79 vendors, 12 food trucks, a children’s activity zone, and a beer and wine garden, drawing more than 1,000 attendees throughout the day.
“It was an amazing time for everyone,” Diona says. For a first-year Pride event in a small Ocean County town, the turnout spoke volumes. “It showed how much support there actually is here,” she says.
Barnegat Pride’s second annual festival is scheduled for June 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 382 North Main St. in Barnegat, and organizers are already planning an even bigger celebration.
The daylong event will feature a full lineup of performances and activities designed for attendees of all ages. Among the scheduled performers are three drag queens and one drag king, each performing multiple sets throughout the day. Singer Danielle “Redbird” Marrone, an acoutic act well known in the area, will also take the stage. Additional musical performances include Lulu and the Scouts, who will perform a one-hour set.
Other highlights include giveaways hosted by B98.5 radio and a dance contest led by Buster, mascot of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, as well as performances and appearances by local entertainers including Emcee Dezi Durrua and a possible return performance from the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus.
The festival will once again include family-friendly elements, vendors, food trucks and community organizations.
There will also be a self-defense demonstration — an addition Diona considers particularly important. “During Pride Month especially, it’s important for our members to know how to protect themselves,” she says.
Despite its young age, Barnegat Pride is already receiving recognition for its work. The organization was recently awarded a $5,000 operational grant from the Grunin Foundation, a milestone for a nonprofit that has existed for less than two years. “To receive that kind of support this early is incredible,” Diona says.
The grant will help sustain the organization’s year-round programming, ensuring that events like therapy sessions and community meetings remain free to the public. Local businesses have also stepped forward as sponsors.
Several establishments around Barnegat now display stickers bearing the organization’s slogan, “Unity in Our Community.” Restaurants such as Lefty’s Tavern have already signed on as Pride sponsors, donating vendor tables and other support.
Diona hopes to see the stickers spread throughout the township. “I want them in every establishment in Barnegat,” she says.
While Pride festivals are often associated with celebration and visibility, much of Barnegat Pride’s work happens quietly behind the scenes. Through its outreach efforts, the organization has encountered individuals facing difficult circumstances — including teens dealing with unsafe home environments and adults navigating abusive relationships.
One of Diona’s long-term goals is the creation of a Rainbow House — a community center that would provide safe space, resources, and programming for LGBTQ residents of all ages. “It would be a place where people can come together and find the support they need,” she says. For Diona, the project represents more than just a new building. “It would be my legacy,.”
Looking ahead
Allies, Diona says, are critical to the movement’s success. “They’re the most important part,” she explains. “Without allies, we can’t move the needle.”
The organization actively encourages allies to attend events, volunteer and become members. Annual membership costs just $20, helping sustain the nonprofit’s programming while expanding its reach. And as the organization grows, Diona hopes even more people — LGBTQ and allies alike — will get involved. “If people leave our events feeling that sense of unity,” she says, “then we’ve done our job.”
As Barnegat Pride approaches its second anniversary, the organization is already proving that meaningful change can begin with a small group of committed people. The nonprofit is carving out space for connection in a region that once lacked it. And according to Diona, this is only the beginning.
“Our first goal was to have a Pride festival,” she says. “People told me it would never happen.” It did and now the goal is even bigger. “We’re building something lasting here,” Diona says. “Something for the community.” And if Barnegat Pride’s first year is any indication, that vision of unity may already be well underway.
