Aryn Huck told us about how we could grow together and support our LGBTQ+ community. OutNebraska tells us that they use advocating, celebrating and educating to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people
Aryn is a community organizer for OutNebraska which believes in a Nebraska that embraces and celebrates the full spectrum of LGBTQIA2S+ people. Often, LGBTQIA2S+ Nebraskans experience discrimination, disparaties, and isolation – particularly transgender people and people of color. OutNebraska is dedicated to empowering, celebrating, and growing LGBTQIA2S+ communities in Nebraska.
For more than 10 years we’ve been making an impact by advocating, celebrating and educating to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people.
- We’re advocating for reform, connecting with local and state representatives, encouraging civic engagement and making investments for the betterment of our communities.
- We’re growing connections, lifting up our allies and celebrating LGBTQ+ people through fun events like the Prairie Pride Film Festival.
- We’re providing inclusivity training and engaging in community conversations to help ensure a welcoming and thriving environment for all.
Aryn read to us about what Rotary International says about the LGBTQ and how they accept them into Rotary.
OutNebraska’s vision, mission and principles are as follows:
VISION
Nebraska communities that embrace and celebrate the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ people.
MISSION
To empower, celebrate and grow LGBTQ+ communities in Nebraska.
PRINCIPLES
- Be inclusive and collaborative
- Promote affirmation
- Lead the charge
- Build power together
- Bring the fun!
Educate: Aryn told us that they continue to provide affirming spaces training to area businesses and non-profit organizations. We reached organizations both large and small. Over the course of the year we trained nearly 550 individuals – helping to build a better Nebraska for LGBTQIA2S+ people.
We continued our partnership with Inclusive Communities to present Queer Table Talk. These events included a panel presentation of LGBTQIA2S+ community members followed by small group discussions through Zoom. OutNebraska and Inclusive Communities presented three Queer Table Talk events: Living Positively with HIV, Transgender Awareness, and SOGIE Youth and Askable Adults. These events helped to educate allies and build community connections among participants and panelists.
Advocate: They worked with the Lincoln City Council to pass Nebraska’s first municipal ban on Conversion Therapy for minors – protecting youth in the Capitol city from this dangerous and discredited practice. We will continue to work with other cities across Nebraska and at the state level to pass more bans. During the legislative session, we offered testimony and rallied the community on 14 issues including LGBTQIA 2S+ housing and public accommodations protections, restoring voting rights for reentering community members, banning the panic defense, and opposing funding for a new prison. We will continue this important work to advance or defeat policies that impact our community with your support.
Celebrate: During COVID-19 saw us move our social events to virtual spaces: Coloring & Crafternoon, GAYme Night, Open Mic Poetry, and other social events were able to continue through the pandemic. The virtual events also meant that people from all over the state could join us! Drag Queen Story Hour Nebraska also moved online with Facebook Live streaming events and virtual events with the Unitarian Church of Lincoln. This year they held another Pride Parade this summer.
Aryn told us about the many definitions that we should learn so that we can learn more about the LGBTQ. There are many other letters that can be added to this and so we need to learn what those additional letters might mean so that we can learn more about the LGBTQ community.