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 know June is busy for you and your chapter, but it’s also busy for me here at PFLAG National. I make it a priority to show my support for and involvement in chapter events by attending Pride celebrations with PFLAG chapters across the Western region. I started off Pride Month by attending Sonoma County Pride with PFLAG Santa Rosa/Sonoma County, where I got to meet some members of the newly affiliated chapter. Next I headed to the home turf of PFLAG Clayton-Concord to help table and march at Clayton Pride, where I was lucky enough to meet a number of board members and their families. The small town was so welcoming and supportive! The following weekend I hopped up to Spokane and supported PFLAG Spokane’s engagement with Spokane Pride. I even had a few minutes on the stage to speak about PFLAG! Thanks also to PFLAG Spokane also for showing me around the city with a pedicab tour! Lastly, I celebrated the 30th anniversary of PFLAG San Francisco by marching with them and PFLAGers from around the Bay Area at San Francisco Pride. The chapter splurged on a trolley and had an amazing presence and great showing in the parade. 

I am so lucky to have gotten to celebrate Pride Month with all of the amazing PFLAGers in the Western Region! Visiting chapters during Pride, and all year round is one of the most meaningful parts of this role and I’d love to try and plan to visit your events. Please let me know if there are events that you’d like me to try and attend, we’ll see if we can get it scheduled! And as a final reminder, please be sure and upload pictures to share with other PFLAGers as well as check out other chapters’ celebrations in the PFLAG Pride photo album.

Stay safe,

Eddy Funkhouser (they/he)

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