In a rural corner of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Cambridge is drawing notice for an unexpected message: LGBTQ people are welcome here. Pride flags now brighten storefronts, porches, and historic streets in a town better known for watermen, small-town values and, back in the Sixties, racial unrest.
While much of the change has happened organically, there is also a growing effort to showcase the riverside city as an inclusive destination for residents and visitors alike.
The campaign, led by the civic group Proudly Cambridge, aims to highlight the city's welcoming atmosphere while celebrating its waterfront, historic neighborhoods and local character. Organizers say the effort builds on the same small-town charm that has long defined Cambridge, while making it clear that LGBTQ residents belong here.
Atlanta native Lauren Mross said she and her partner found an unexpected sense of acceptance after moving to Cambridge.
"I had so many experiences of people just being so welcoming to me... open arms in the gay community and in the straight community," Mross said.
Founded by Mross, Corey van Vlymen, and other LGBTQ residents and allies, Proudly Cambridge intentionally chose a name that reflects the entire community.
"We very intentionally named ourselves 'Proudly Cambridge' instead of something like 'Cambridge Pride' because we wanted to be inclusive of everyone, not just the LGBTQ community," Mross said. "That visibility really matters for people to feel welcome and safe."
Support for the effort has continued to grow, with more than 200 people attending a recent fundraiser at the Cambridge Yacht Club. Caleb Holland, with Proudly Cambridge, said the turnout reflects increasing momentum behind the group's message.
"We have the ingredients here," Holland said. "It's just a matter of marketing and we need people to know that this is a place you can come."
Proudly Cambridge’s James Lumalcuri said the atmosphere of acceptance is an added bonus to the town’s waterfront charm:
"We grew up in the era where you didn't see pride flags and being gay was the worst thing you could be. So to think that I could, at this stage in my life, live in a town like this and find open arms... [has been] a beautiful surprise."
