October 2023 Issue 01 Kankakee Area LGBTQ Network

October 2023

Issue 01

#k3 pride newsletter

Welcome

With the launch of our nonprofit, our website and so many exciting developments, we’re excited to introduce our first newsletter! Follow along for updates, events, educational tidbits, and much, much more! October was a busy month! It’s LGBTQ History Month and Gay Christmas… I mean Halloween! Between the spooky and truly terrifying state of the world lately, we hope you’re all well and we’re here if you need us!

Halloween Downtown

The Rotary Club of Kankakee hosted their annual Halloween Downtown event on October 15! The network provided a Photo Booth and our teen group provided a trunk in the trunk-or-treat, which won 1st place (pictured below!) The teens trunk theme was inspired by lore, that vampires were gay men. For their prize, the teen group will enjoy ice cream at Rebel Ice Cream!

GSA Summit 2023

The Network invited local Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) clubs from local school districts to network and collaborate. Kankakee High School hosted students and club sponsors from Kankakee, Manteno, KCC, and more! Attendees enjoyed training in leadership & and advocacy. Anne from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also provided a Talk Saves Live training the trainers presentation!

Students & sponsors ended the night with a chance to collaborate on fundraising and event ideas and discuss problems facing their schools and clubs.

Dinner was provided by AFSP.
Everyone left looking forward to the next chance to connect & collaborate!

T-Shirt Fundraiser

We’re hosting our first t-shirt fundraiser using the platform Bonfire! Pick from four styles, delivered to you or to the network in bulk, and join us for a tie-dye event to create a colorful, unique style for your shirt once the shirts arrive. The first batch closes on November 6th.

On October 17, we had a productive and informative meet & greet with Uplifted Care, sharing our missions with each other and how we can collaborate to serve our community’s LGBTQ folk better! Uplifted Care provides hospice and palliative care, as well as Greif groups for everyone. We enjoyed touring their beautiful space and seeing LGBTQ representation in their marketing materials. We look forward to working with Uplifted Care in the very near future for Trans Day of Remembrance and more!

On September 30, The Network participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk. We shared resources and connected with new friends! Suicide disproportionately affects LGBTQ folks, specifically young and trans folks, this is an important and powerful event to participate in each year. Our team raised $350 for AFSP this year!

October 18th was International Pronouns Day! You can’t assume a person’s pronouns just by looking at them. And this basic dignity is found to increase feelings of belonging and reduce suicide risks. When you introduce yourself, share your pronouns, include in your email signature and ask new acquaintances their pronouns every time!

Upcoming

Sunday, November 5: Monthly Coffee Meetup
Tuesday, November 7: Literary Spectrum Book Club
Monday, November 20: Trans Day of Remembrance & Vigil event
Tuesday, November 28: Giving Tuesday!
Saturday, December2: Network Friendsgiving

For more information, visit our social media or contact us via email at k3lgbtqnetwork@gmail.com