Behind the Scenes with Laura Matanah

by Hannah Crawford

As important as the stories and illustrations that make up Rainbow Rumpus are, the magazine itself wouldn’t exist without the administrative support of the Board of Directors and its head, Rainbow Rumpus’ founder and Executive Director Laura Matanah. Laura’s job covers a lot of ground—programming, administration, communications, staffing, and fundraising. “I make sure we're fulfilling our mission to ensure that kids and teens from LGBT-headed homes are safe, welcomed, and empowered,” said Laura.

We have Laura’s daughter to thank for inspiring her to start Rainbow Rumpus. Laura and her wife, Sarah, were sorting mail and paying bills, and their daughter, who was five at the time, started flipping through the Human Rights Campaign magazine. She saw a tiny black and white photo and said, “Look! Look! It's two moms and twins, just like us!” Sarah and Laura realized that even though they lived in a neighborhood with a lesbian-headed family on every block, it was still important for kids to see families like theirs in books and magazines.

As the former editor of the feminist journal at her college and volunteer at a nonprofit community newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin, Laura was ready to start a magazine of her own. Laura and others set to work raising money to pay authors and illustrators to create great work. The whole family supported the magazine from the beginning—not long after they started fundraising, Laura’s son surprised her by handing back his allowance and saying, "No Mom, I want to give this to Rainbow Rumpus."

When the first issue of Rainbow Rumpus was published, Laura, understandably, was thrilled. “It was so exciting to take an idea of my family's and then watch others jump in to make it happen and tell us how much it meant to them.” She takes pride in the fact that kids and teens are growing up able to read the stories on Rainbow Rumpus every month and that they can feel a sense of belonging in the community that the stories, books, and events provide. “I'm also proud of the work we're starting to do to make institutions (like libraries and schools) more welcoming of LGBT-headed families,” said Laura.

Starting a magazine that focused on great literature for kids was no stretch for Laura, who has loved to read since she was a kid. “I think stories are transformative,” she said. “They open our hearts and minds in a way that plain facts and figures don't. As an elementary school teacher, I was well aware of how few books there were that reflected our families, and I wanted my kids, and all kids, to get to see their families reflected in public settings as well as at home.”

As the magazine’s audience continues to grow, and its mission and how it is achieved continues to develop, it is a challenge for Laura to balance her many responsibilities while constantly moving toward fulfilling the magazine’s goals. “I'm always working to see that the organization is sustainable and that we grow in ways that will enable us to have greater and greater impact,” she said. “The joys are getting to work with so many talented and fun-loving folks, watching us become more effective, and hearing from kids and families about how much our work means to them.”

Now, with their kids just starting high school, Laura and Sarah spend a lot of time on homework and sports. Even though she is busy, she says she is still a big fan of biking, books, and board games.