Our hearts break for our LGBTQIA+ family in Colorado Springs and their family and friends.
We’re supposed to be promoting our holiday gay-la with maximum effort right now, but so soon after a despicable hate crime we just can’t bring ourselves to. Instead I want to take a moment to acknowledge that this:
Is why we do the work we do. Some folks might wonder “why does the LGBT chamber exist in Tucson when there are other chambers?” It may be 2022, but we get murdered for who we love, who we are, and how we look even in the places we thought were safe havens. So, we are committed to helping every workplace grow their culture into something safe, and to providing both a brave space for allies to learn but also an inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ & allied folks to build their professional networks. This is a heavy lift on a good day. Just days after 5 more souls were murdered for being queer, trans, or gender nonconforming, this work is excruciating.
This
is why we are putting on a holiday party. Yes, to let off steam. Yes, to have a work-adjacent party that doesn’t suck. But also yes, because the work we do is vital and we want to raise funds to hire an ED to do this work full time. Our business community deserves a structured way to look toward the future with the Gaymber. It takes community to serve community. The antidote for hate is love. We do hope you’ll join us.
In the meantime, we need to do a 360 of care. Seek support for the heavy emotions (here) are the Gaymber members in the mental health field), be aware of your surroundings, and prioritize self care (whether that’s massage, acupuncture, a trip to the salon or spa, or a long walk in the desert). In crisis? Don’t forget about our Crisis Resource Guide. We will be at the Queer Bazaar at Tucson Hop Shop on 12/4 where a portion of the proceeds of the evening is going to the Club Q community, so if we won’t see you at our Gay-la on the 10th, hopefully we’ll see you there.
With Pride, sadness, rage, & love,
Vera Minot
Board President
Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce