Save Queerarchy: Keep the Doors Open!
Friends and Allies-to-be, I've got to pause and drop the high-voltage energy you usually see from me for a moment to get real with you. Queerarchy is at a critical juncture, a point where our dreams risk becoming just that—dreams, unless we act now.
Despite all the fireworks and love we've been spreading, the reality is this: Queerarchy is struggling to keep the lights on. Winter is setting in, and here in Nebraska, that means our pop-up markets—our lifelines—are off the table.
Think about the lives we’re trying to touch, and the voices we're amplifying. Think about the queer youth who picks up a "Pinapel and Friends" book and for the first time, sees a world where they belong. Or the teen who puts on one of our shirts and finally feels pride in who they are. Now, imagine that light dimming out. I don’t want that to happen.
Funding has been a big challenge. Self-publishing and bootstrapping an apparel line require substantial financial resources. There’s also the hurdle of breaking through societal stigmas, but you better believe we’re geared to smash them to smithereens!
That's where this GoFundMe comes in, and that's where YOU can make an IMMENSE difference. Our goal of $23,000 isn’t just a number; it's a lifeline for a future where queer, trans, nonbinary, and questioning youth can see a day worth living. A day where they can be themself without fear.
What the funds will be used for:
Website Development: Our digital presence is barely scraping by, and we desperately need to optimize it.
Heat Press: We're literally making these shirts with a failing heat press. Time is of the essence.
Rent & Operations: This isn't just a shop; it's a sanctuary for many. Help us keep these doors open.
Book Printing & Distribution: The demand for "Pinapel and Friends" is there, but without funds, these life-changing books sit in limbo.
Workshops & Community Programs: Free books and workshops are in the pipeline but they need YOUR support to come alive.
New Book Alert: We've got the next game-changing book ready, focusing on Strawbry, our trans character. This story is needed NOW more than ever, and with your support, we can make it a reality.
Please, hit that Donate button. Your contribution isn’t just money; it’s a lifeline, a glimmer of hope, a future worth living for countless young souls.
In an emotional and heartfelt plea, let’s not let the sun set on this dream.
With Vulnerable Love & a Plea for Urgent Action,
Rowena
OUR STORY
If you haven't heard of Queerarchy. I founded the company in 2021 with one goal in mind: to make sure queer folks are seen, heard, and happy! Discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity are commonplace. My heart breaks to know that every 45 seconds, an LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S attempts suicide and with Queerarchy I intend to make a difference.
It all started with the goal to write a queer-focused children's book, "Pinapel and Friends. Who Are They?", featuring an queer-inclusive world that took me 10 years to create and develop.
Pinapel and Friends™ live on an island called Tinsy Town. Their emotions control the weather making it important for them to regulate their emotions and to respect and rely on each other for the island to thrive. Besides being queer inclusive some of the characters have disabilities. The goal for this book and future books is to educate about the intersectionality of being queer and having a disability and creating representation for these marginalized communities. Representation isn’t a buzzword; it’s a lifeline!
I wrote and illustrated the book and started an apparel line to fund the dream, and was finally able to self-publish the book after two and a half years in February of 2023. I then opened the shop in March 2023 inside the Hot Shops Art Center. We’re not just talking t-shirts and books; we're talking about fostering a community that thrives on love, inclusivity, and endless empowerment!
Queerarchy is a social conscious company. We host many free community events like our first pride fashion show in June of 2023 that featured a queer cast of models. We also hosted a postcard writing event to let our voices be heard by the Nebraska legislature. We wrote postcards to queer communities being targeted by bans and other challenges to spread some love. Queerarchy also helped facilitate a Trans Care Package assembly event where 44 trans folks received care packages that supporters from the community assembled.
I am grateful for all the support we have received so far and excited at the positive feedback received about the book and I look forward to continue serving the queer community.
Most recently, Queerarchy became a corporate partner with The Trevor Project in the monumental goal to end LGBTQ+ youth suicide. We believe in a future where every young person — lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, nonbinary, questioning, and beyond — can thrive in a world free of fear and full of unequivocal acceptance. We are aiming to raise a staggering $30,000 by selling 2000 "Love Yourself Kits'' and have sold 21 so far. *30% of sales with a minimum donation of $25K will go to The Trevor Project.
Learn more about us with the links below:
Photo Credit: Z Long, The World-Herald
