“If there had been something like this when I was a child, it would have made a world of difference to me. I had to get involved.”—Sara Berger
When people become part of a supportive community, they can transform difficult experiences into energy for change. Rainbow Rumpus provides this community for an ever growing readership and volunteer staff. We now average over 250 visits a day. I want to introduce you to some of the people who make up the Rainbow Rumpus community.
Sara Berger came to a Rainbow Rumpus party this summer and talked about the strange looks and weird questions she used to encounter when talking about her lesbian parents. Having found a supportive community at Macalester College, she is now pursuing coursework in neuroscience and gender studies. She is passionate about bringing the voices of children with queer parents into the forefront of the movement for LGBT equality. As a result, she’s writing for Rainbow Rumpus. Welcome, Sara!
“I was just going to copyedit. That was it. But in my most idealistic moments, I feel Rainbow Rumpus is changing the world,” said Beth Wright as she was recognized for a year’s worth of volunteer effort at a recent Rainbow Rumpus party. In addition to copyediting, Beth proofreads each issue, has developed a Rainbow Rumpus style guide, and draws upon her extensive nonprofit background to provide organizational consulting services. Thank you, Beth.
“I think it’s important that all kids see and hear about their families,” said Dan Marfield, our music and video editor, at one of our monthly staff meetings. Dan has just celebrated his first anniversary as a Rainbow Rumpus volunteer. He has worked to develop and separate the music and video sections, organized our music contests, and begun a series of interviews with children’s musicians that you won’t want to miss. Thank you, Dan.
“I volunteer 15 to 20 hours a week for Rainbow Rumpus, and I’m self-employed. I love the people here; we have an amazing team. What’s really important to me is that Rainbow Rumpus provides all children with images and stories about families that they can’t find anywhere else.” Beth Wallace, our fiction and poetry editor and editor-in-chief, spoke those words as she accepted her one-year volunteering gift. Beth’s 15-20 hours a week have been critical to creating the supportive community you find on these pages and that our writers and editors experience in person. Thank you, Beth.
We extend a warm welcome to Shannon Brumbaugh and Ellen Seagren, our newest board members. We also bid a fond farewell to Laura Rede, who has served as our board chair since Rainbow Rumpus’s inception. Laura’s steadfast presence, level-headed decision-making abilities, and warmth have contributed enormously to the organization. We look forward to her continued involvement as one of our writers.
We are also pleased to be beginning relationships with the University of Minnesota and HECUA’s Writing for Social Change program, and will be welcoming volunteers and interns from both during the course of this month.
As a reader, you are at the heart of what we do. We love getting your thoughts and comments. Please click here to share them. The door is always open for you to become more involved in the community by joining us as a volunteer. For more information, see the Contact Us section. If you are a parent, please help your children submit their writing and artwork for our gallery. Let your children’s teachers know about our teacher resource section, and encourage them to make the site available for viewing by their class. If you live in the Twin Cities area, feel free to contact our office to request a visit to a classroom or school to build understanding and acceptance of LGBT-headed families. Be sure to check out all the great articles in this month’s issue that will help you and your children prepare for the school year. Extended family members and friends, thank you for joining us. Together we are telling the stories that build a welcoming community for children wherever they go.
