Help fund the Rainbow Community Angels - AGAIN!
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Rainbow Community Angels - one year on!
In May 2023 we had an idea, turned the idea into a little facebook post, brought together some fabulous activists with heaps of diverse experience for a few zoom chats and LOOK WHAT WE DID!
One year later - wow we have achieved so much!
The success of the Angels is a huge group effort and we thank all of you for continuing to support our work. Special thanks go to Switchboard Victoria, Joy949 and Thorne Harbour Health.
We have successfully started to change the narrative of hate to one of kindness, reduced cancellations of queer and trans youth events and drag storytimes, addressed safety concerns, been a bold and visible rainbow presence at many LGBTIQA+ events under threat and mobilised heaps of public support for ensuring events in libraries and local councils continue to be programmed.
WHO ARE WE?
Rainbow Community Angels is a grassroots community-led safety initiative working together with kindness and care to:
- train and empower LGBTIQA+ people and allies to stand together in solidarity for LGBTIQA+ inclusion and affirmation in their local communities.
- enhance community safety by engaging in non-violent community mobilisation to support event like Drag Storytime, Rainbow Families Storytime, LGBTIQA+ youth and other events.
- be a visible and vibrant, friendly and fun presence while actively shielding and protecting community members from hate and vilification.
- Celebrate queer joy together!
Since we held our first fabulous Angels action at Eltham Library on May 17, 2023 we have:
- trained over 150+ Angels around Victoria - from St Kilda to Footscray, Beechworth to Wangaratta, Kyneton to Northcote!
- Held actions at over 30+ events including holding 3 Pop-Up Drag Storytimes where events had been cancelled.
- Spoken to youth advocates, council staff and library staff at workshops held by, YACVIC, the State Library of Victoria and at the recent Australian Libraries and Information Association national conference and at various state government events.
- Supported councils, libraries and community groups to explore and manage creative risk mitigation tactics
- Mobilised community to send messages of love to libraries under threat
- Collaborated with activists to run three anti-Doxing workshops (more are on the way)
and so much more!
With the rise in anti-trans hate both nationally and worldwide, with drag and rainbow storytimes still under attack, as well as things such as the recent events at Cumberland Council in NSW that saw a motion passed to remove books related to/depicting "same sex parenting" from their local libraries, we can not stop being Angels!
The money raised in May 2023 has been used for:
- Wing design, creation and maintenance
- Logo design and T-shirt deign and printing
- Placards and banner design and printing
- Travel costs to regional and rural events & training, conferences.
- Refreshments at events
- Storage costs for wings and materials
All new funds raised over May 2024 will go towards:
- Wings - updating the design and maintenance
- T-shirts (Every Angels get a free one!)
- Storage costs
in solidarity, radical trust and queer joy
the Rainbow Community Angels team
May 2024
Melbourne/Naarm, Victoria. Australia.
EMAIL [email redacted]
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What we asked for and our vision in May 2023 - see how far we have come!
WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED
The Rainbow Community Angels is a new community-led safety initiative. Your support will enable us to train and support LGBTIQA+ people and allies to take part in peaceful actions to support community safety at inclusive events like Drag Storytime, currently being targeted as part of a broader rise in transphobia and homophobia in Australia and beyond.
WHO WE ARE
Founding project organisers include experienced LGBTIQA+ advocates, drag queens, trans and gender diverse people and rainbow families. Anyone who supports our aims and ways of working will be welcome to join us.
HOW WE WILL WORK
We are planning to:
• Train and support LGBTIQA people and allies to take part in our actions.
• Offer our presence to Councils, libraries, cafes etc organising LGBTIQA+ inclusive events.
• Work with their staff to increase event safety through our highly visible, peaceful, supportive community presence.
• Provide safe passage for everyone to participate in these events in their community.
WHAT WE WILL DO AT EVENTS
People can participate in a range of ways:
• Some will wear magnificent angel wings, shielding people entering the event from seeing any hostile protesters who are present.
• Some will act as marshals, assisting with communication and safety for Rainbow Community Angels, event staff and participants.
• Some will liaise as needed with media, event organisers and others.
WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE
Through our actions we aim to:
• Empower LGBTIQA+ people to stand up for our right to safety, visibility and equality.
• Support the efforts of Councils, small businesses and others to include and celebrate LGBTIQA+ people and our families in their communities.
• Help provide safety for LGBTIQA+ artists, community members and families to take part.
Angels: a proud LGBTIQA+ tradition
Angels have become a proud peaceful LGBTIQA+ tradition.
• The first were classmates of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man murdered in Colorado in 1998. They used their Angel wings to shield his family and community from homophobic protesters at his murderers’ trial.
• In 2016, Angels shielded mourners at the funerals of Orlando nightclub shooting victims, again shielding them from homophobic protesters.
• In 2017 in Melbourne, Angels welcomed LGBTIQA+ youth to the Minus 18 Queer Formal in St Kilda, when homophobes threatened to picket it (they stayed away). The photo above is of some those angels!
WHAT YOUR MONEY WILL SUPPORT
A small committee will administer funds, which will support:
• Construction and maintenance of wings and costumes
• Purchase and printing of vests for marshals
• Safety training for Angels, marshals and coordinators
• Promotion of the Angels including to councils and other organisations
• Debriefing after actions to support safety and participant wellbeing.
• Storage of wings/costumes, remuneration for travel or other minor costs.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
1. Donate and share the gofundme page
2. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rainbowcommunityangels
3. Email [email redacted] to register your interest in being an Angel or marshal or to help out in other ways (do we have a wing construction expert in the audience?!)
As Dean aka Frock Hudson says:
“As a community, we are no strangers to coming together, activating and supporting one another when we need to. The current climate of hate towards the trans community and drag performers through rising misinformation and protests is all too familiar to many of us. Which is why we are drawing on our history and calling on our diverse community to come together and do what we can. Through proper communication and training, supporting one another, and a splatter of glitter we know what a huge difference we can make. Not just young and marginalised people finding their way, but for everyone to feel safe, seen and respected. “
Thank you for your kind support.
In love, rainbow sparkles and solidarity
Flis Marlowe, Dean Arcuri and Sean Mulcahy
Rainbow Community Angels
Working together to make our LGBTIQA+ communities, kids & families feel safer, connected & supported.
Melbourne/Naarm, Victoria. Australia
May 2023
Organizer and beneficiary
Rainbow Community Angels Melbourne
Organizer
Melbourne VIC
Blake Leschen
Beneficiary