Joining the Rainbow Families Advisory Council
I’ve joined the Advisory Council of Rainbow Families.
Rainbow Families is the Midwest office of Family Equality Council. Previously one of the strongest local LGBT family organizations in the country, Rainbow Families joined the Family Equality Council in June of 2008. Rainbow Families continues to provide local programs to the LGBT families, extended family members and allies in the upper Midwest region while also joining Family Equality Council in its efforts to secure family equality in all 50 states.
Rainbow Families provides a great many services for queer folks in the region. What’s attracted me to them is that in addition to family-specific issues, they do a lot of work on broader social justice issues. I’m hoping to lend a hand in their communications efforts since I do a lot of talking to people on the web.
I was asked what scared me about joining this group. I hadn’t thought about it before that moment, but what came out of my mouth is an absolutely true reflection of how I feel. The two organizations I’m already involved in at a board level — the Twin Cities Women’s Choir and the Minnesota Fringe Festival — are groups that I absolutely enjoy and believe wholeheartedly in. I adore what these organizations do and they are two of my three Favorite Things About Living in the Twin Cities. What scares me about Rainbow Families/Family Equality Council is that, as a queer person of color, these topics and their work are intensely personal. Despite my lack of activist or community organizing experience, the mere fact that I exist in this world means I have an obligation to do what I can to bring about social justice, and if this is the avenue I have in which to do that, I’ll take it.
I have to say one other thing about this. Nancy Lyons kindly reached out to me about this opportunity. Words cannot express how completely flattering this is because I respect the hell out of Nancy. She does amazing things in life. And we have this crazy it’s-a-small-world blogger connection from five or six years ago (which is ages in blog years) to boot. So many thanks to Nancy for asking. I’m honored to serve.
