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"I'll Be Your Rock" founder, Christine Terpening, likes to say that when she came out of the closet in her 40's, she "fell out." It wasn't until she'd worked through her own experiences and her own ingrained biases and learned behaviors that she realized how life-changing a support group would have been for her in her youth. With that in mind, she made the conscious effort to begin living "out loud," sharing her own experiences, creating a space for others to share theirs, and collecting a group of allies and "Rocks" along the way. You see, Christine grew up in rural mid-Michigan, in the village of Vermontville (population 759, 2010 census).
Vermontville is a farm town. Once a feeder community for the auto industry complexes in Lansing, the closest city with a PRIDE festival was 30-50 miles away, and even those hadn't been held when Chris was a kid. Not only that but the rural, insulated community of Vermontville (which shares the Maple Valley Public School district with its neighboring village, Nashville) hasn't been known for its diversity. Not that the people aren't friendly or welcoming, because Vermontville has always been a kind and generous community. Rather, because of its small-town social network, more powerful in some ways than internet social media, many people have grown up afraid to reveal their true selves in their hometown -- which means that they aren't getting the emotional and mental support they need during their youth. Once Chris realized how crucial support systems are to young LGBTQ people (including reducing suicide attempts in LGBTQ teens by more than 40%), she knew she had to do something.
That's the headline story for "I'll Be Your Rock," and that's how I first met Chris, seated at a table with my teenager and one other brave, small-town youth. And I watched her engage and befriend those teens, playing card games and laughing, discussing books (she has a whole library of LGBTQ+ books that she loans out to the kids), seeing their real selves - I was hooked. Then, I really began to see what she was doing. The meeting place - a secret location that is only given to kids and their allies - is safe and anonymous. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. It doesn't feel like a support group. It feels like a club, and it is one that I'm thrilled to be a part of.
Chris started "I'll Be Your Rock" much as one starts any pipe dream - with fear and anxiety, but also joy and hope. At her first meeting in January 2022, one teen showed up. By April, more than a dozen LGBTQ+ youth and allies felt comfortable carrying a banner in a local parade. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and Chris approached the group with a brave, crazy idea.
What if "I'll Be Your Rock" put on a Youth and Family Friendly PRIDE event?
And because Chris's enthusiasm is contagious... here we are. Planning the first ever Vermontville Youth Pride, which is set for August 20, 2022. We invite anyone in the area to join us! We'll have music and rainbows and face painting and glitter, certainly. We'll have vendors and resource booths, food trucks, and entertainment. But we are also working to provide resources to parents and youth who may not know where to turn for answers. We hope to offer roundtable discussions on Civil Rights, self-defense demonstrations, art and writing competitions, and "ask-an-expert" booths where folks can chat with LGBTQ-friendly experts in their fields like social workers, medical providers, clergy, college students, artists and writers, and more. We want to give people the opportunity to understand how important a strong support network is for rural LGBTQ+ kids is, while also having a fun, family-friendly day.
Our hope is that we will raise enough funds to hold an amazing event on August 20th, as well as start the process of spreading the word to other rural areas who may be looking for guidance and assistance starting their own support network. After seeing the need and the joyful response to Vermontville's "I'll Be Your Rock," we believe more than ever that rural LGBTQ+ kids are waiting to be offered support, and we know that it doesn't take much to get started.
With the funds raised, "I'll Be Your Rock" and its leadership will pay presenter fees, equipment rentals, prizes for the art and writing contest, and other event-related expenses. Any extra funds will go towards running the Vermontville chapter of "I'll Be Your Rock." If fund-raising results in a surplus of over $2000, Vermontville's "I'll Be Your Rock" will use the excess to offer start-up money to other rural LGBTQ+ groups.