Teen Explains Why She's Throwing Pride Parade in Mike Pence's Hometown

Mike Pence's hometown of Columbus, Indiana, is getting its very first gay pride festival — and the event is organized by a high school senior.

Columbus native Erin Bailey, 18, is heading the April 14 event, which promises to make Columbus "a more welcoming community for everyone." The festival will have information booths, vendors, and food.

"We haven't had anything else in our town like it before," Bailey tells ELLE.com. "It seemed like something that needed to happen."

The festival started off as a school project for Bailey, but her idea quickly garnered national attention. "I wanted my senior project to be super big and be something that could really benefit the community," she says. "I had to think about what we didn't have in Columbus and what we needed. Thats how I decided that we should have a pride festival."

Bailey with her best friend, Grace, at the March for our Lives at the Indiana State House.

Bailey identifies as a progressive and says she doesn't agree with the vice president on many issues, especially LGBT rights and women's rights. "Back when he was the governor of Indiana he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that allowed businesses the right to discriminate against members of the LGBT community," she says. "Also, while he was governor, he signed House Bill 1337 which would make getting an abortion in Indiana harder."

This didn't sit right with Bailey, who describes herself as "very passionate about women's reproductive rights and LGBT rights."

"Everything he is for regarding those issues, I have a completely different view on it," she explains.

Bailey with friends at the Indiana State House protesting HB 1337.

Pence released a statement through his spokesperson obtained by PEOPLE in response to the teen's pride festival. “Vice President Pence commends Erin Bailey for her activism and engagement in the civic process,” spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said. “As a proud Hoosier and Columbus native, he’s heartened to see young people from his hometown getting involved in the political process.”

If the vice president shows up to the festival in April, Bailey knows exactly what she'd say to him: "If Pence attends, I would thank him for coming and opening his mind to see the diversity in his hometown!"

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