As patriotic decorations line downtown Wylie ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, one local business owner says a Pride Month storefront display sparked both criticism and support from members of the community. Destinie Lacy, owner of Wylie Flower and Gift, said she created the di splay to recognize Pride Month. Explaining the inspiration behind the window display, Lacy said: “June 1st, of course, is the start of Pride Month.” Lacy said the display was intended to create a welcoming environment. “This is a place of joy. And just encourage to bloom with pride. That was literally the point,” she said. According to Lacy, she and her staff encountered a group of four or five young men on Monday who voiced their disapproval of the display. Describing the interaction, Lacy said: “Even with them being on the other side of the window, you could hear how loud they were disapproving with their profanity.” But Lacy said one response from across the street left a lasting impression. Recalling the moment, she said: “There was someone across the street correcting them and just encouraging them to have an open mind.” The interaction also resonated with RJ Carranza, a downtown Wylie business owner and owner of Whitty Wick Candles. Reflecting on the importance of support, Carranza said: “I haven’t always had that, you know,” Carranza said support does not always have to come through grand gestures. Sometimes, he said, it can be as simple as a display in a storefront window or a stranger choosing to speak up. Discussing the impact those actions can have, Carranza said: “You don’t know what’s going to come. But there’s two things that we know for certain, is that the people that we love are the people we love, and the spaces you create can change somebody’s life.” This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less