The Rainbow Bridge Community Center is a space led by, created for, and organized in support of all 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We believe that all people have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We believe all humans are entitled to basic dignity. We understand that a diverse community is a blessing, that differences create opportunities for growth, strength, and joy. Those in power want us afraid and obedient. We refuse to comply with demands that we hide, diminish, or lessen ourselves for the comfort of others.
We are committed to our mission of creating a safer space, a loving and joyful home away from home, fostering resilience, and being an excellent neighbor. We believe in a future where all people can exist in peace, where joy needn’t be an act of resistance but an accepted norm. To our trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming friends, neighbors, staff, and volunteers, know that we see you. We care about you. We are proud of you. We understand that the days ahead will be hard. We offer you a respite from the cold of cruelty, a mug to warm your hands with, a meal to feed your belly, knowledge to feed your mind, and a caring community to warm your heart with.
We believe that community is where our hope lies and all that is possible starts small and builds outward. Our board is comprised entirely of members of the community we serve. Four of our five current members exist outside of the traditional binary. We will hold space for collective grief and fear because it is also our collective grief and fear, and transform that into action; we will do all that is within our power to uplift, advocate for, and support the rights and dignity of our community.
We also believe that none of us can obtain that peace while others are suffering under oppressive systems. Within our capacity, we will stand beside and before our most vulnerable neighbors. We aim to increase our capacity to assist where possible to meet the growing need to do so. This includes refugees and asylum seekers, who come to our communities seeking a better and safer life. This includes migrant workers, documented or not, who are a critical component to our nation’s food industry and deserve significantly better treatment, not villainization and expulsion. This includes the poor and working class, upon whose backs the nation’s wealth is built. This list is not exhaustive, but pertinent to the changes we anticipate in the weeks and months to come.
In our community discussion groups and on our Discord chat, we will offer support, information, encouragement, and coordination of efforts as we monitor the situation and choose the appropriate response. Join us to be informed when there is action to take, to feel solidarity with those who stand beside you, and to keep informed of what’s going on. Watch our social media, mailing list, and our website for updates, to see our calendars of events, and to find out how you can be part of the resistance.
You can help us expand our capacity. We are seeking volunteers to:
- Join our Board of Directors to help steer our mission. Send inquiries to info@rbccvt.org. We are looking for people with previous board, fundraising, or nonprofit experience in particular, but if you can commit to a five hours or more a month, have a willingness to learn, and are part of our community, we encourage you to apply.
- Join committees to:
- Help plan and run events to raise funds, educate, increase awareness, or otherwise serve our community.
- Identity areas where advocacy can make a difference and work on moving our representatives towards better alignment with our values.
- Provide support including:
- Hosting drop-in hours to welcome visitors to the center.
- Organize and manage our Liberation Library.
- Host workshops, teach-ins, skill sharing, or trainings to help increase community resilience.
- Host social and group events on an ongoing basis. Community is our way to brighter days.
- Assist with our social media, design team, or website management.
- Assist with fundraising including developing fundraising strategies, searching for grants, and grant writing.
- Offer other skills that you think we could benefit from including but not limited to security, community management, marketing, writing, legislative watch, or legal knowledge.
Donations are welcome. You can set up a one time or recurring donation through our nonprofit partner Givebutter here. Money helps move our mission forward. We are largely community funded through a collection of individual donors, small grants, and foundations.
We also accept physical donations of services, skills, and material goods. This can include but is not necessarily limited to shelf stable food, seasonally-appropriate clothing, and unused hygiene supplies; new or gently used gender affirming supplies are also potentially welcome. Reach out to inquire what we can take and how to donate.
Whatever happens next, remember that we have been here before and we know that the only way forward is to care for each other, stand up for one another, and stand beside all of those who are willing to build towards a future where love leads.
“There can be no love without justice.” bell hooks
