Dear PFLAG Supporter,

Sunday, July 28th is PFLAG Parent Day, celebrating those who parent and mentor LGBTQ+ people, and for parenting people to shout out their love and affirmation for LGBTQ+ loved ones. Keep an eye on Leadership Matters next week, when we’ll share toolkits and information to help your chapter participate.

Calling All Grandparents: A PCC Meeting Just For You!

We are excited to announce the launch of a new meeting in our PFLAG Connects: Communities (PCC) program: the PFLAG Connects: Grandparent Community. PCC provides safe, virtual, moderated spaces where people with shared experiences can connect each month. PFLAG National’s communities gather people to gain support, ask questions, and learn from others—and that’s exactly what this new community will do.

Our meetings will take place for 60 minutes on the last Monday of each month, at 8pm ET/5pm PT, beginning Monday, July 29th.

As with all PFLAG support groups, there are no dues, fees, or membership required to join. For the PFLAG Connects: Grandparent Community meeting, anyone who is a grandparent of an LGBTQ+ person is welcome to attend. We’re also excited to share that this meeting will include a Gender Spectrum Breakout Room especially for grandparents of transgender and gender-diverse grandkids. 

As always, the only requirement is to register in advance so that we can provide an even higher level of safety and support to attendees. Register now, and then get ready to join us on Monday, July 29th!

Rural Think Tank - Happening TOMORROW!

We know that rural chapters have unique challenges, including navigating anti-LGBTQ+ cultural climates. Whether you have struggled to figure out how to do outreach and promote your PFLAG chapter in a hostile community or had success finding and reaching the LGBTQ+ and ally community, the upcoming Rural Think Tank tomorrow evening will provide an opportunity to discuss and share ideas. Register to attend July’s Rural Think Tank, taking place from 5pm-6:30pm PT/8pm-9:30pm ET.

Regional Roundup

I had a blast joining chapters around the South for their Pride events!! I kicked off my travels with PFLAG Montgomery and PFLAG Auburn for the inaugural Prattville, AL Pride event on June 21, and was so inspired to see the local LGBTQ+ community feel celebrated in a rural area where that isn’t always the case. Special thanks to Martha Morgan, president of PFLAG Montgomery, for showing me a great time at the Legacy Museum! 

The next weekend, Kathy Halbrooks and I joined Upstate SC PFLAG chapters– PFLAG Anderson, PFLAG Greenville and PFLAG Spartanburg– for Upstate Black Pride! It was wonderful to be back home, and to see the amazing community that the event brought out. I’m amazed at how these chapters persevered through a tough legislative season, and came together around a profound loss in their community. Constantly inspired by the wonderful PFLAG community in the Upstate!

Check out our PFLAG Pride photo album to see pics from my travels, and to celebrate what other chapters got into this June! Y'all are amazing!!!! I can’t wait to continue my Pride travels throughout the summer and fall, since as we know many Southern Prides aren’t during June! Thank goodness, because we’d all melt.

Got a cool event you’re excited about, or interested in me joining your chapter during next year’s Pride events? Reach out to me and I’d love to see what we can do!

Stay safe,

Abby Shuler (she/her)

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