Danvers Middle Schooler Designs Impressive Show Of Pride

DANVERS, MA — As schools and communities all across the North Shore celebrate Pride Month with ceremonies and flag-raising events in June, Danvers eighth-grader Marishka Burnett had an idea for an even longer-lasting show of encouragement for her LGBTQ+ classmates.

The Holten-Richmond Middle School student is using her talents to make bracelets, anklets and keychains as part of a small business she hopes will make her school a more inclusive place where students and staff can be themselves and know they have the support of the whole town.

"It was mostly because I have been seeing a lot of Pride people coming out and I want them to show their true colors," she told Patch in an interview from school this week. "I was just starting to think more about the community and LGBTQ and that people might not know it's that broad. So why don't I start making Pride bracelets, and sell them, and show them the community is bigger than what people think?"

The items are made from the colors of the LGBTQ+ flag with Burnett saying she will customize them to feature certain colors based on how someone identifies or wants to show support for someone else in how they identify themself.

She said through word of mouth around school the orders started coming in and that she intends to keep making the items beyond Pride month.

"This way people can wear them and show that this is what I am so they can be happy," she said.

DanversCARES Youth Leaders and the Holten-Richmond staff have been among those helping promote the efforts that Burnett said her classmates have embraced as well.

"When I started telling people I was doing it they asked me why and then they got excited about my cause," she said. "Then they wanted to join me."

Anyone interest in purchasing a bracelet, anklet or keychain from Burnett can do so through her order form here.

Did you find this article useful? Invite a friend to subscribe to Patch.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: Big Month Of Pride Events Planned For Peabody In June

Danvers Kicks Off Pride Celebration Month Thursday Afternoon