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FromEtheditor
With the way editorial schedules work, I’m writing this in early October, and it’s a bit odd to think how much will have changed on a national level for most of the time this magazine is out in the world. The upcoming elections will largely determine what our November looks like and what we’re prioritizing or concerned about.
While that may be, regardless of what happens in November, the content in this issue is still incredibly important, as it highlights the work that is currently being done in queer community service, as well as how much work still needs to be completed.
So whatever happens, and however you’re feeling reading this, know that queer nonprofits and orgs have your back. That doesn’t mean you can’t hold them (us) accountable, but it’s pretty remarkable that folks choose to work long hours for modest pay in service of the queer community. This issue celebrates all the strides they’re making for queer folks across Colorado and the U.S.
-Addison Herron-Wheeler
by Eden Heffha
MolsonCoors, a company with a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and the title sponsor of Denver’s 2023 Pride, is rolling back their Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs.
A year ago, amid boycotts of Bud Light for hiring a trans influencer, Coors stood strong as the sponsors of Pride, saying they would sponsor the parade for “decades to come” in a statement.
Coors is one of many companies ending DEI initiatives in response to far-right influencer Robby Starbuck’s threats of boycott. Brands like John Deere, Lowes, Jack Daniels, and, most recently, Toyota have ended corporate DEI trainings, announced they will no longer sponsor Pride, and stopped sending information to the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.
The Human Rights Campaign has called Starbuck a “MAGA bully and Republican reject,” and noted his farright rhetoric. The video announcing Coors rollback includes a PNG video of his face cut onto Gavin Hattersley’s (CEO of MolsonCoors) LinkdIn page. There is a message from Starbuck, presumably in a LinkdIn thread with Hattersley, saying that they are “investigating corporate policy for wokeness and discriminatory DEI policies.”
“I reach out to executives at major companies that we’re investigating before we run stories on them,” the message reads, “to have a conversation about how those policies may be shifting in this climate.”
Though difficult to imagine Starbuck contacting the CEO of Coors, the vid-
eo then cuts to a Google search of “Coors Diversity Equity and Inclusion,” a web page that no longer exists. He shows an internal memo from Coors, subject line, “Next step of our culture journey.”
“Our movement is about something more than just ending wokeness; it’s about ending the idea of the silent majority. There’s nothing more shameful than that for the past few decades, we’ve accepted the idea of being a silent majority … We are speaking up now; I am your megaphone,” Starbuck concludes in front of a can of Coors Light.
BUT, ALSO, WHY?
A year ago, Coors stock jumped 29% from April 1 to August 1 as both conservatives and the queer community held a boycott against Bud Light, according to Barron’s. For the first time in 20 years, Bud Light lost its spot as the most popular beer in the United States, demonstrating the damage of incorrectly navigating a “culture war.” MolsonCoors, which shares a moderate yet conservative customer base with Bud Light, doesn’t seem willing to risk conservative ire.
Additionally, backlash to DEI programs has been increasing for years. This culminated in 2023 when the court used Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to rule affirmative action unconstitutional. Simultaneously, DEI job listings fell as much as 48% from 2022, according to Lightcast. Law firms such as America First began to file cases arguing that DEI itself in workplaces was illegal. Starbuck is the latest, and loudest, voice fighting against the integration of workplaces, one companies like Coors are caving to.
“We’ve seen so much change and so much progress, the legalization of gay marriage, which I never thought would happen in my lifetime. And I think that has led to a sense of complacency,” says Scott Coors,
grandson of former CEO Adolph Coors Jr., who worked on the original HRC business council during the creation of the Corporate Equality Index.
“They see that our rights have been achieved, and they are putting themselves at risk from the conservative side of their business by continuing to support something that they feel has been put in a safe place … It’s the only thing I can think based on my understanding of the attitudes of the people I worked with, back when I was (at Coors),” he adds.
The HRC released a survey on the day following Coors’ announcement stating that eight in 10 LGBTQ adults would boycott a company that rolled back DEI.
“The LGBTQ+ community, with its $1.4 trillion in spending power, remains steadfast in its desire to see corporations continue their support for their LGBTQ+ employees and consumers,” reads the HRC Foundation 2024 LGBTQ+ Climate Survey.
If Coors wants to avoid repeating the mistakes of Bud Light, consistency is important to weathering the media storms. Bud Light’s caving to homophobia, along with their inconsistency, lost them loyal customers in 2023.
“I think the way Anheuser-Busch handled the situation did a huge disservice to literally everyone. Caving in and backpedaling made them look so insincere and weak, and I think it emboldened and paved the way for those who take issue with diversity initiatives to dogpile the entire industry. That was sad,” Coors says.
THE KIDS
by Sascha Fowler
QUEER YOUTH NONPROFITS ARE SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Stigma, marginalization, and lack of social support are some of the leading causes for isolation and feelings of inadequacy in LGBTQ+ youth. Studies conducted in 2022 show that compared to their peers, LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to attempts suicide, and within the U.S., over 1.8 million youth ranging from ages 13-24 seriously consider suicide each year. Every 45 seconds, at least one person attempts. And these impacts can be felt differently across different social groups and identities. The Minority Stress model identifies that queer youth are uniquely targeted by prejudice and discrimination which uniquely manifests in creating stressors and negatively impacts mental health. Even more so, due to systematic oppression of BIPOC groups, queer youth within these positions show an increased disparity.
In many of these situations, even the approval or support of one adult figure significantly lower rates of suicide by at least 5% if not more. And with the inclusion of social support groups, likelihood of suicide drops dramatically. When queer youth can have their pronouns accepted, be able to change legal documentation, and have gender affirming care, mental health, and quality of life for these people dramatically increase. Creating spaces of inclusivity, activity, and advocacy allow for youth across all social groups to thrive and discover themselves without judgment.
We need spaces for these students to be able to discover themselves while staying safe. And in most cases, these spaces come from nonprofit organizations who are facing a tremendous amount of backlash. It is this reason that now, more than ever, sustaining these organizations and promoting their availability is needed. In this story, we’ll delve into some of the resources and organizations available within Colorado to help support queer youth while being a nonprofit.
THE TREVOR PROJECT
The Trevor Project started in 1998 with the goal to end suicide among queer and questioning youth. The Trevor Project’s method of creating a 24/7 suicide hotline, conducting research, educating the public, and creating advocacy and peer support groups has shown to have tremendous success in supporting queer youth. In their 2022 Annual Report, the organization determined that their approaches are working due to their multiple-tiered approach. Due to having hotlines which include calls, texts, and online chats, they have contacted over 263 thousand youth with crisis counselors.
But the Trevor Project doesn’t just focus on the U.S. Though they cannot host hotlines and political movements internationally, they have created a digital peer-group space called TrevorSpace. It is an online platform where queer youth typically aged 13-24 can find a social network and peer support. This method of community allows for many different people to have the ability and freedom to seek support, no matter their background.
Within the U.S., the Trevor Project also hosts events ranging from political advocacy to online educational workshops for
allies and educators. Currently, their method for education has also allowed them to be the first in the nation to partner with the NY Department of Education. They work with a variety of counselors, faith leaders, and youth-serving adults to educate on how to create safe and inclusive spaces for queer youth. On a larger scale, the nonprofit has seen a larger impact through their work in helping create bans on conversion therapy in over 54 cities while securing “988” as the three-digit code for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and government allocation of funding for LGBTQ-specialized services on the call line.
The Trevor Project’s online and interdisciplinary approach to giving support to queer youth progresses LGBTQ+ voices, support, and rights across many different fields with many different peoples. Not only do many youth describe their testimonials on how the Trevor Project has helped them, but show that finding an online community of support can dramatically positively impact how youth view themselves.
Other people and organizations are also starting to see the Trevor project’s impact. In their annual report, the nonprofit shows that a little over 50% of their revenue comes from individual philanthropy, and another 40% comes from corporate partnerships. As an organization, the Trevor Project maintains an open dialogue over their financial reporting, usage of funds, programs given, and partnerships they are making. Their values of creating open and honest communications with all people is followed throughout their organization.
If you need to connect with a crisis counselor, you can reach them by calling 1-866-488-7386, texting 678-678, or chatting with them online via chat.trvr.org. The Trevor Space is also a great way to meet other people in your situation who can give you support and people to talk to. No matter where you are, please know that you always have online support.
PFLAG DENVER
Compared to the Trevor Project’s mission, PFLAG focuses on political activism and community engagement. PFLAG originally began in 1972 when Jeanne Manford marched with her son Morty in New York City’s third Christopher Street Liberation Day parade, carrying a sign which said, “PARENTS of Gays: UNITE in SUPORT of our CHILDREN.” From her courageous actions, other parents of queer youth found a way to express their support like they had longed to do. After this, across the nation, community groups popped up in support of queer youth with the mission of “Leading with Love.”
Locally, Denver has their own branch of PFLAG which was founded in February 1980 by 35 parents who wanted to find ways to support their children. These dedicated individuals gave LGBTQ+ support when need was high, resources were scattered, and avenues to connect were significantly more challenging than they were today. Together they formed a collective that answered thousands of letters and kept personal phone numbers "staffed" 24/7 to be available to community members in crisis. For 13 straight years, the Denver chapter
hosted a monthly HIV/AIDS Support Group during a time when the nation systematically ignored those afflicted. Today PLAG Denver carries on many of these historical traditions using support groups and networks.
Every month, PFLAG hosts at least three to four different support groups ranging from peer-to-peer support groups, support groups for significant others whose partners are queer, and a group who discusses current issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community. PFLAG also updates a “Community Resources” page to help people who have relocated to Colorado. They highlight organizations doing work locally for the specific type of support that is needed by LGBTQ+ groups and their allies. These groups include One Colorado, Envision: YOU, Fortaleza Familiar, and The Center on Colfax.
This organization also hosts educational and outreach events. Their most recent iterations are part of the Connect Grow Learn Series, and they are trying to bring critical conversations to the forefront of the Denver community. These events involve PFLAG members and non-members, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and allies to create a network of support and building understanding between different social groups. Most recently, on October 1, PFLAG Denver and Denver Public School's LGBTQ Equity Officer came together to discuss how to support queer youth and advocate for their child’s educational journey. They also discussed how adults and mentors can provide support to LGBTQ+ youth both inside and outside of educational settings.
Furthermore, to support queer youth, PFLAG Denver offers the ConnectYOUTH program where LGBTQ+ youth and their families can come together to have unique and fun experiences. They have held events at Meow Wolf, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the Center for Visual Art at Metro State. These experiences allow for youth and families alike to meet others with similar experiences and find communities and support groups internally. Additionally, every year, PFLAG releases scholarship and micro-grant programs every year.
Scholarships reward outstanding LGBTQ+ students and allies who are pushing towards a more inclusive world through action and recipients can provide financial awards up to $2,500. The GSA micro-grants are smaller awards of up to $500 which allows for staff and teachers within the Denver Public School system to apply for funds to create safe and inclusive spaces within the school system. Through the support of allies, families, and queer youth alike, PFLAG Denver hopes to create communities that foster an equitable, inclusive world where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved.
THE
MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATION
On the other end of the spectrum, The Matthew Shepard Foundation was created with the mission of amplifying the story of Matthew Shepard to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people.
Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old gay college student attending University of Wyoming who was brutally murdered in 1998 by two men. Aaron McKinney and Russel Henderson were both convicted of homicide and hate crime charges and are currently serving two lifetime sentences in Wyoming prison. Matthew’s murder brought attention from national and international communities on hate crimes and the prevalence of LGBTQ+ hate within communities. As a result, in 2009, The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law which expanded federal hate crime protections to include gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
As a foundation, this nonprofit seeks to eliminate LGBTQ+ hate crimes while creating spaces to foster queer youth acceptance. They document legacy works in Matthew’s memory, host speaking engagements, and have created a website titled Matthew’s Place.
Matthew’s Place is a platform for publicizing stories by and from queer youth. Their blog provides a variety of topics ranging from resources to culture and activism. No matter what, there is content for your interests and writers are youth who are involved within the Matthew Shepard Foundation. They also have platforms on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) where you can get involved with these communities.
PRISM COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
The Prism Community Collective is a queer nonprofit that has recently opened in Colorado Springs. After the tragic events at Club Q in November 2022. In response, the Prism Collective came together to offer support and dismantle barriers, increase visibility, and build connection to ensure that those impacted by the Club Q tragedy, including our greater LGBTQ+ community, can live celebrated and liberated lives.
The organization’s focus is on providing knowledge of gender-affirming healthcare and providing pride and wellness learning services for healthcare and the LGBTQ+ community. Prism offers a Healthcare Directory where people can input the type of healthcare they are looking for with their insurance provider and see what providers are available in El Paso County. All providers within the directory were required to fill out an online form with the relevant information needed to create a profile. Each provider also signs a statement where they must affirm their commitment to equality for LGBTQ+ clients and patients. Ultimately, while all applications were reviewed to ensure provider’s commitment to cultural awareness and competency, it is up to individuals to contact providers directly to determine and assess their comfort and safety.
While small, the Prism Community is creating spaces where the LGBTQ+ community can contact and find the healthcare they need to live fulfilled lives.
by Leo Josefina
Anastasia Krystals ON FLEXIBILITY, DRAG, AND NAMASLAY
Ihad the pleasure of speaking with local drag queen Reace, AKA Anastasia Krystals (he/him outside of drag, she/her in drag), our cover model, both to learn more about her personally and to get to know her message and mission regarding drag, yoga, and how it can help the queer community.
Though he was born and raised in Clearwater, Florida, Anastasia performs all over Denver. He moved here in 2007 to perform in a musical theater show in Fort Collins, and from there, he started performing in the Denver area. One of the performances that got him into drag and gave birth to Anastasia was playing the role Angel Schunard in Rent. Their group won a Henry Award, a Denver local theater award, for best ensemble. It shaped him both in the musical theater community and the queer community of Denver,
“Obviously, Angel is a standout role, and it showed the town who I am,” he explains. Anastasia played many drag roles after that, including a “random role” in the ensemble Sister Act The Musical at the Arvada Center. “It’s always been a part of my style as an entertainer, I could play the effeminate in the
show; I could play the drag queen and the femme characters. Really it wasn’t until I originated a role in 2017 at the Denver Center in a show called Drag On; I was Wonder Woman and Storm … I was these fun little excited pop-up drag characters,” she says of the beginning of her life as a drag queen, and the start of her career. It was also where she met her drag mentor, Shirley Delta Blow. What truly got her connected to Denver’s drag community was entering into Drag Olympics at Tracks Denver, which also hosted the likes of Yvie Oddly and Willow Pill. Drag Olympics launched her career, and she has been able to do it full time ever since.
Musical theater was not only the inspiration of her drag career, but of her involvement with yoga as well. Before she was Anastasia full time, the cast for The Wedding Singer, which he was in, would go to yoga. It made him more flexible and a better dancer, with the added benefit of fulfilling something he didn’t know was missing.
“It was pretty early on that I realized it was something I was not only good at, but something I realized I was lacking for many years of my life in the sense of spirituality … an understanding of that part of life. Having grown up very gay, very queer, very outside of the church, this was a nice way—and it was almost immediate—how hap-
py it made me.” Reace has now been a yoga instructor for 15 years and teaches at several studios across Denver, including CorePower Yoga and Samadhi Yoga.
Something he was keen on expressing was the power of yoga to help mental health and how the queer community can use that, especially during this election cycle and the approaching holidays. “As a queer person, I’ve always had an opportunity to essentially be available for how yoga can support people that are newly diagnosed with HIV, people that are going through mental health issues, people that are handling their body issues, people going through transition. Yoga can be so helpful for your mental health and mind and clarity.”
Meditation and moving one’s body help relieve stress greatly, and while folks in the queer community are being stressed by life’s daily events, it is massively important to keep up with one’s mental health. Every week, he weaves in a theme during the classes. He gives the example of one of his lessons: “A yogic word, Ahimsa, which means nonviolence to yourself, which helps you practice nonviolence to others.” Ahimsa is meant to both help
Photography: Ivy Owens
@ivyjune._.jpg
Model: Anastasia Krystals
@anastasiakrystals
Fashion: La Cibeles, @lacibeles.boutique
oneself calm down and to stop oneself from radiating negative energy into the world.
Yoga in the United States has been largely taken over by upper-class white people, but Reace and his fellow instructors and studios are working to break that barrier down here in Denver. He advocates for the safespace yoga studios, saying, “A lot of queer people feel not as welcomed in many yogic spaces, but then I’m able to communicate immediately, ‘Oh, hey, go try out Courageous Yoga, which is run by a leader in the queer community; go check out Black Swan, which is a donation-based studio … being an advocate for the logical side of, ‘It costs money, and I don’t feel comfortable with my body’... it is a very heteronormative affluent space, yoga has become, but at its core, yoga is for everybody, and yoga is free.” Courageous Yoga, which she mentions, has a sliding scale, donations-based payment plan. Whatever you decide to pay, from $18 up to $48, goes directly to your teacher.
One studio he wanted to highlight was Ohana Yoga, run by Alyssa Manny, a friend he met as they became yoga teachers together. He also teaches at the studio once a week. Ohana is a female-centered studio that welcomes BIPOC and queer folks especially, looking to create a safe space for them to practice the craft. Of friend, owner, and founder Manny, he says, “She really is taking time to understand the appropriation of yoga and kind of backtrack and listen and hear from people in the BIPOC community and in the queer community, and how she can be an advocate for them in her studio.”
One way that yoga helps him personally, and has for many years, is help-
ing him stay grounded in his sobriety. Operating, and working largely in a nightlife environment is especially hard for sober people, and so much of queer life is at bars and clubs. Not only is Anastasia advocating for queer folks to use it to help their mental health, but yoga studios that act as safe spaces can also help replace some of the pressure to drink.
“I really appreciate that Denver, and the world at large, are having more mocktails and having more non-alcoholic options … I think it's important that we see more visibility of sober queens.” She has been sober for five years, and as exciting as the nightlife can be, she’s also seen how it can negatively affect the queer community. “Throughout all of the drama of the drag world, yoga is what keeps me grounded.”
Anastasia Krystals performs weekly at the Champagne Tiger for pasta and piano nights on Wednesday, where you can hear her sing live, and for brunch on Sundays. In terms of yoga, Reace is launching NamaSLAY Nomads with fellow yoga instructor and bestie Jake Buchhiet, a queer focused online series and event platform coming later this year. Events and information will be announced on their instagram @namaslaynomads.
At the time of this article, Anastasia recently opened for Alyssa Edwards at the Gothic Theater. Before that, she opened for Sapphira Cristal, runner up and Miss Congeniality on Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Todrick Hall. Aside from her amazing gigs as both yoga instructor and drag queen, she helped raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness and domestic violence survivors recently.
I thanked her for her time and am so grateful to have the opportunity to share her message, “Happiness is an Up Dog away!”
NADINE BRIDGES Working For Community
by Maitlynne Alamar
In a world that often feels divided, social workers play an important role in fostering community, understanding, and compassion. One dedicated individual is executive director of One Colorado Nadine Bridges. She heads an organization working tirelessly for LGBTQ+ rights, marriage equality, and public health. With over 25 years of experience in social work, her journey is a testament to the power of connection, advocacy, and community-building.
Growing up in a household that valued community, Bridges learned the importance of giving back from her father. He’s a committed chef who dedicated his life to serving others. Having been raised with very little, she understood firsthand the struggles that many face. This experience fueled her desire to connect with and uplift marginalized communities. “I firmly believe in the respect and compassion of the human condition,” she says. This conviction has guided her work, allowing her to contribute to the opportunities that enable people to thrive.
Her path to social work was not straightforward. Initially, Bridges pursued a degree in molecular biology with aspirations of becoming a doctor. However, her life took an unexpected turn when she chose to join the Peace Corps. After joining, she began to uncover her true self, realizing the profound impact of connecting with others and sharing their stories. This transformative experience led her to become a Spanish teacher, and she realized the great importance of empathy and collective responsibility—critical skills for a social worker. Teaching allowed her to explore systemic issues
and instill values of empathy in her students.
In her experience as a social worker and her work with One Colorado, Bridges emphasizes the need for future generations to recognize that challenges are often bigger than individual experiences. “We need to start thinking more collectively,” she states, advocating for stronger connections within communities and awareness of local leadership.
This focus on collective responsibility is particularly vital in addressing pressing issues such as marriage equality and support for the transgender community. For over two-and-a-half years, Bridges has worked to advocate marriage equality legislation, witnessing the benefits of bipar-
tisan support. “I’m proud of my team for the work they’ve done,” she reflects, excited to see where their efforts lead. At One Colorado, Bridges leads initiatives to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, ensuring that everyone has the freedom to marry if they choose without facing discrimination. This commitment to equal rights for LGBTQ+-identifying people is personal. She recalls her marriage journey, emphasizing that no one should have to navigate multiple legal barriers just to express their love. Her work has also focused specifically on protecting trans community members, especially as more individuals relocate to Colorado from states with restrictive policies.
With a sense of urgency, Bridges champions gender-affirming care, ensuring that all community members have access to the support they need. The re-
Photo courtesy of One Colorado
cent Prism Awards, celebrating those who protect LGBTQ+ youth, exemplify her organization's efforts. She acknowledges the courage of the advocates that she works with, reinforcing the message that everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.
Despite the progress that Bridges has made with One Colorado and throughout her career, the LGBTQ+ community still faces several challenges. A rise in homophobia in the media creates an atmosphere of fear, which she has personally experienced. In an interview, Bridges recalled being chased down the street in Denver a few years ago. Yet, in the face of adversity, she finds hope. “Good to see proud and courageous LGBTQ+ people,” she asserts, highlighting the resilience of the community.
In her view, the biggest change that needs to be made is to make an effort to foster healthy, productive conversations around human rights. “Coloradans can thrive and be successful with respect for the human condition,” she states, pointing out that basic needs and rights should not be politicized.
In today's digital age, social media plays a significant role in shaping conversations. Reflecting on her time in the Peace Corps, where social media usage was restricted, Bridges now appreciates its potential to create space for dialogue. However, as she became a public figure, she learned to navigate these platforms cautiously, balancing her personal life with her public responsibilities.
“Creating space for conversation is vital,” she explains, stressing the importance of using social media to engage with constituents and foster connections and approach it with mutual respect for fellow people. With the upcoming election, she remains hopeful that the state, now leaning very blue, can unite around shared values of women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and bodily autonomy. Essentially, there is hope for legislation to pass that ensures basic human rights for all.
As she looks to the future, her hope is that Coloradans can find common ground. She believes in the power of collective action, urging everyone to pay attention to local leadership and engage with community issues. “Every legislature should be working to move forward with pro-justice policies that serve all Coloradans.”
In her journey, Bridges has witnessed the transformative impact of compassion, community, and advocacy for disadvantaged communities. By connecting with others and championing systemic change, she continues to work toward her vision of a world where everyone can thrive. With her unwavering commitment, Bridge stands as a beacon of hope, reminding us all of the potential we have when we come together for the common good. Through her work, she embodies the belief that fostering empathy and understanding is crucial to building a better, more equitable society. As she says, “Hope for the future lies in the genuine care for the growth of our communities.” In her hands, the future looks bright.
ENVISION:YOU RISES TO THE CHALLENGES TOUGH
In your opinion, what is the biggest barrier to entry for queer people when it comes to mental health support?
The biggest barrier is access. We have a behavioral health workforce shortage in Colorado. We've known that for a really long time. For people in general, even folks with a lot of privilege and power, it's really challenging to find a provider that, one, is taking new clients; two, is affordable; and three, are available. There are multiple counties in Colorado that do not have a behavioral health professional in the area. It's particularly hard, I think, for people with systemically impacted identities, whether that's queer people, people of color, or folks with disabilities.
How does Envision:You hope to expand in the next five years?
There are a few different ways we think about how to scale what we're currently doing. Part of that is just about geographic reach. We have been primarily focusing all of our attention on the state of Colorado. We’re going to continue to do that, but we also know that there are states that surround us, but also all over the country, that have much more hostile legislation. Colorado is not perfect, but we have a legislature and political leaders who understand the value of what it means to keep LGBTQ+ people safe, healthy, and involved. That really just isn't the case in a lot of other places. We’ve talked with organizations at a national level who are interested in seeing what expansion could look like.
The other thing in terms of expansion is just thinking about how we're interacting with community. What we love to see for a program like (Q is for Questioning) is to get connected with more organizations. For instance, connecting with more folks that work in the foster care environment, law enforcement, juvenile detention facilities, and court-appointed special advocates. There are so many people who touch the lives of LGBTQ+ youth on an ongoing basis.
CLIMATE OF A
Wby Rae Lee
e at OFM will never not sing the praises of Envision:You. This Colorado-based nonprofit continues to fight to protect queer mental health through its advocacy, community programming, and public awareness campaigns. As we move into the end of this election cycle and the beginning of the holiday season, now is a particularly important time to focus on mental health.
OFM sat down with Envision:You Vice President Brad Barfield (they/he) to discuss immediate concerns facing LGBTQ+ individuals and Envision:You’s plans to continue serving our community.
What is Envision:You doing to make intersectional spaces for the Colorado community specifically?
One of the things that we're consistently thinking about from the policy space is the workforce. We have to think about how the barriers put in place are minimizing our ability to improve diversity (in behavioral health). Part of this is really thinking about the entire continuum of the whole experience of the provider, the entire experience of the client, and the entire experience of the community those folks live in.
We need more people in the community in those rooms so that we’re not creating policy decisions in this ivory tower. We’ve had three to four workshops already just this year where we get folks in a room and help them understand the legislative process, how to create testimony, and how to get into the rooms in person, or virtual, so the people making the decisions really understand how it affects the folks who are going to be directly impacted.
In the Envision:You 2023 report, it was stated that less than two
Photo courtesy of Envision: You
dimes for every $100 donate, go to LGBTQ+ nonprofits. On top of that, what other challenges exist for LGBTQ+-focused nonprofits?
From a lot of people's perspectives, including people who are in the LGBTQ+ community, it feels like everything has gotten a lot better over the past 20 years. But it really hasn’t. While there's a whole lot more representation and a lot of general enthusiasm from the rest of the country in terms of where people's rights should be, that doesn't mean that the overall queer experience is better. There are very openly hostile things that are happening in states across the country. There's not a place that is immune from the vitriol.
The 2024 election has seen a massive increase in anxiety, depression, etc. How can queer people manage their mental health during this time, and how is Envision:You helping?
How I am able to manage this is to find my people. We are so much stronger together, even if all we're doing is holding space for each other to vent, or to weep, or to yell. Our community has so much strength, so much beauty, and so much power. Regardless of how this election goes, we have to continue to be there for one another. Find the folks who you can be safe with, and hold on to them tightly.
I do not want to delegitimize the fact that things are pretty rough right now. This world can be a very unkind place, but it can also be a place where you can experience so much joy and euphoria. We have been in times like these, and we have come out on the other end stronger. We have continued to band together. Continue to see in each other what we have in common, but also to be able to acknowledge the things that we do not share. When I see the queer community banding together, it actually gives me a lot of hope. This (message) is not just for queer people; it’s for anyone with a systemically impacted identity.
How far have we come for protecting queer mental health?
I don't even know if I realize how far we've come. The statistics would indicate that we’re actually not doing so great. One of the statistics from our State of the State report is that one out of two people that responded to the survey have seriously considered suicide at one point their lives. That's half 50%. And then out of that, 25% of the entire study have attempted suicide. We do not feel like we've gotten there.
But when we are out of Pride festivals, when we are engaged with our community, people are so much more willing to talk about mental health. So many more people are aware of resources that exist around them. This next generation of folks, not just queer people, but people of color and women, are leading the charge here as they always have when it comes to spaces and social justice. There are so many queer leaders and leaders of color who are really shining a light on topics that have been consistently buried or pushed off to the side, like addiction and recovery, anxiety and depression, and what it means to be on the spectrum. What everyone can do is create more affirming, generative, and strength-based spaces, and I see that happening on the ground level.
THE GIVING LIST
Iliff School of Theology
Matthew David Morris
503-936-7115 | mmorris@iliff.edu | iliff.edu
Iliff is a graduate theological school that educates activists, religious leaders, and cultural innovators. At Iliff, we advocate freedom!
Jewish Fertility Foundation
Shira Gabry-Kalikow shira@jewishfertilityfoundation.org jewishfertilityfoundation.org/denver/ Jewish Fertility Foundation engages hopeful parents by providing financial assistance, emotional support, and infertility education.
www.ringlake.org
at center offering “renewal in sacred wilderness”
2025 Seminar Topics include: Writing as a Spiritual Practice The Nature that Surrounds Us Transforming Inspiration into Song
Reality, Grief, and Hope on the Horizon of Climate Crisis Theopoetics, A Di erent Kind of God-Talk
BAR TAB
BAD HABITS DENVER
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BLUSH & BLU
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117 Broadway St. Denver (303) 722-7373
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BUDDIES
504 E. Colfax Ave.
CLUB Q
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CHAMPAGNE TIGER
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EL POTRERO
4501 E. Virginia Ave. Glendale (303) 388-8889
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GOOD JUDY’S
BAR & CLUB
103 N. 1st St. Grand Junction (970) 433-7115 www.good-judys.com
HAMBURGER MARY’S
1336 E. 17th Ave. Denver (303) 993-5812
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LADY JUSTICE BREWING 3242 S Acoma St. Englewood (303) 578-8226
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LIL' DEVILS
255 S. Broadway St. Denver (303) 733-1156
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OLYMPUS DISCOTHEQUE
2036 Broadway St. Denver
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R&R LOUNGE
4958 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 320-9337
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TIGHT END BAR
1501 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 861-9103
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TOWN HALL
COLLABORATIVE
525 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 389-7502
townhallcollaborative.com
TRACKS
3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 836-7326
tracksdenver.com
TRADE
475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905
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WILD CORGI PUB
1223 E. 13th Ave. Denver (303) 832-7636
wildcorgipub.com
X BAR
829 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 832-2687
xbardenver.com
#VYBE
1027 N. Broadway St. Denver (720) 573-8886 303vybe.com
DENVER SWEET
776 N. Lincoln St. Denver (720) 598-5648
denversweet.com
TUE: Solve That Puzzle w/Mr. Will 7pm w/Taco Tuesday, $3 Modelo Draft, $5 House Margs
WED: Trivia w/Alejandro 7pm w/Wing Wednesday .75 Wings, $5 U Call It At The Bar
