The Rainbow Bridge Community Center would like to announce a shift in our leadership structure. Heather Ely has been elected as our new Executive Director, transitioning from their role as Director of Operations. Shawna Trader is now focused on her position as Program Manager for the Rainbow Relief Fund, which allows her to center her ongoing and vital work to support the most vulnerable members of our community.
Hi Folks!
First, I want to reiterate that Shawna remains an integral part of our family as our Rainbow Relief Program Manager, continuing her exceptional community-building work with the RBCC and beyond. You can read her letter below mine. I’m looking forward to seeing the community magic she inspires continue to flourish.
I am a behind-the-scenes fae so pardon me if things get awkward during this ‘getting to know me’ portion of the announcement. Professionally, I have over a decade of experience in marketing writing and another decade of sales experience in marketing. More relevant to my leadership at the RBCC, I am a lifelong volunteer always in service to community, a mutual aide advocate and participant, a queer impoverished neurodivergent delightful weirdo parenting the same, and an endlessly curious information-absorber. I bring a strong desire to create supportive and sustainable structures to the management at the RBCC, a deep belief in the necessity of liberation work that starts within and spreads without, an interest in working within as well as building non-hierarchical networks of support, and a fervent belief that the key to resilient communities is safe and comfortable spaces where trust grows organically, out of which all things are possible. Most importantly, I bring humility and an understanding that I do not have all the answers. This is a community project and I am merely its steward.
As we move towards building long-term sustainability within our space and community, I look forward to increasing our collaboration with community partners, including our incredible team of passionate volunteers, growing our already robust collection of supportive groups and social clubs which are fundamental to our mission of creating queer joy and building resilient community, and expanding our available services to support LGBTQIA2S+ community members to. Some of the recent highlights and future offerings include:
- Within the next few weeks, we will be launching two new peer-led, play-centered groups for queer kids aged 7-12 and another for teens aged 13-18. Our facilitators for these groups are vetted and have the right background to help our young folks feel engaged and supported. Stay tuned for more.
- We recently kicked off our brand new Bad Art Club group with an astonishing 20 guests! Our facilitators, Liz & Erin, provide a simple art project and basic instruction for those who prefer a bit of structure while leaving space for the chaotic fae amidst us to explore freely. They’ll be back on the 2nd Thursday of each month, from 5-8 PM.
- We’ll gather at Kettle Pond for our 2nd Annual Rainbow Camp, a sliding-scale event with shared meals, s’mores, stories, and good times. (July 19-21st, secure your spot here).
- We kicked off a pop-up Health and Wellness with the Ishtar Collective and the People’s Health and Wellness Center to offer supportive services to LGBTQIA2S+ people impacted by the sex trade. Through that partnership, we can extend a safe, loving community support point for impacted folks to receive clothing, food, water, health care provided by affirming care providers, and more.
- Our Liberation Library is now fully open to lending. You can sign up for a library card and check out our collection here. The library contains books focused on queer experience in both nonfiction and fiction, from board books on up, as well as books focused on healing, resilient community-building, creative processes, and more.
We are a community-created organization. We would not exist without your support; the RBCC relies on the energy, love, and passion of our community, whether queer or allied. If you want to join our family of volunteers, you can get started here. If you have ideas you want to share, want to link up to collaborate on a project, or have questions, you can reach me at h.ely@rainbowbridgevt.org. I wait to see what we can build together.
Yours in Loving Service,
Heather
Dear Rainbow Community,
Shawna here! I’m writing to announce that The RBCC has a new Executive Director in Heather Ely. Heather has been supporting Rainbow as our Operations Director for the last 15 months. I am not going anywhere, and I look forward to focusing on building community resilience as The RBCC’s Rainbow Relief Program Manager. This work, which focuses on fighting poverty, fostering civic engagement, and building powerful relationships to uplift the people of central Vermont is crucial to the mission of The RBCC. This past year has been remarkable to say the least. We have overcome so much adversity, and built more bridges than I can count.
With the help of our incredible volunteers, sponsors, supporters and fans, Rainbow has accomplished incredible achievements- and we did it with love. We work for, by and because of love. It guides us, recharges our batteries and comes back to us as the fruit of our labor in the form of compassionate community. Our success is a testament to the dedication, passion, and hard work of each and every one of you.
Reflecting on my time as ED, I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished:
- Community Impact: Our programs have touched the lives of countless individuals, providing support, resources, and opportunities that have made a lasting difference. We’ve gotten people into homes following disaster, elevated the voices of typically unheard folks and effectively advocated for a just world that knows people are more important than profits.
- Innovation and Growth: We have diversified our programming and enhanced our services in people-centered ways, expanding our reach and planting a seed of inclusive resilience right here in Barre, Vermont.
- Collaboration and Relationship: We have operated on a model of ‘show up and care,’ which cultivated a rich garden of life-loving volunteers and supporters. In the context of community care, our interconnection became impossible to ignore. We are leveraging this for justice, so that we may all share in the joy that awaits a loving world.
I feel blessed to have a Team that cares so much at Rainbow. We are working hard and we encourage you to join us! Stay tuned for our calendar of community events- Cookouts, Laundry Days, Garden Parties, and more. SUMMERTIME is here and I look forward to seeing you all out there!
Yours,
Shawna
