About Rainbow Families
Rainbow Families is the Midwest office of Family Equality Council. Previously one of the strongest local LGBT family organizations in the country, Rainbow Families joined the Family Equality Council in June of 2008. Rainbow Families continues to provide local programs to the LGBT families, extended family members and allies in the upper Midwest region while also joining Family Equality Council in its fight for full family equality throughout all 50 states.
Founded in June 1997 and sustained for many years by the energy of our dedicated volunteers, strong leadership and community support, Rainbow Families was one of the largest regional lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parent organizations in the country. In June of 2008, Rainbow Families and Family Equality Council joined efforts to better support all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and families. By consolidating the impactful work of Rainbow Families into the national vision of Family Equality Council LGBT, the more than 2,000 families throughout the Upper Midwest served by Rainbow Families will experience an increased level of service, support and representation.
Community events and celebrations
We build community by providing opportunities for our parents, children and youth to meet others like themselves. A Halloween dance, roller-skating night, PRIDE festivities and our summer weekend family camps are some of the more popular events we hold regularly. Check out the Rainbow Families calendar of events to browse events in your area.
Parent Education
Rainbow Families provides parent education by hosting educational forums for its constituents and the community-at-large. Example topics include coming out to your children, healthy sexuality, advocating for your child in school and the political climate.
Prospective Parent Gatherings
Rainbow Families hosts prospective parent gatherings the first Thursday of every month. These gatherings offer a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ prospective parents to ask questions, share concerns and gather support from LGBTQ parents and other individuals who are in the process of creating their families. Facilitators include staff and parents who have created their families in different ways. Click here for information on the next gathering.
For more information and resources, contact Abby Riskin at abby.riskin@familyequality.org or 651-644-4848 x1.
Social/Networking Groups
Rainbow Families supports groups in the Twin Cities metro area for LGBT parents with young children, LGBT parents with middle school age children, gay dads, transgender families and parents coming out of heterosexual relationships with children.Rainbow Families also supports LGBT family groups in Duluth/Superior and Rochester. Click here for more information about the groups and contact information.
Want more information about social/networking groups? Are you interested in starting a new group? Contact Abby Riskin at abby.riskin@familyequality.org or 651-644-4848 x1.
Rainbow Families Annual Conference
Our annual conference is a unique day-long event for LGBT parents, prospective parents and children. Our conference strengthens, educates and organizes our community by providing approximately 50 workshops for the adults, quality programming for kids, a thought-provoking keynote address, a resource fair and a family celebration at the end of the day. Our 13th conference, last April, drew a crowd of 1,000. Save the date - our 14th annual conference is being planned for April 18th, 2009.
School advocacy
We work with parents and the schools to make schools welcoming, safe and inclusive for LGBT families. Visit the School Initiative page for more information and resources on how to make your schools safe for all families. For more information, contact us at 651-644-4848 or email stephanie.hazen@familyequality.org.
Resources and referral services
Our staff, enews, website and publications provide needed access to information for parents and prospective parents. We have found that this is especially important to isolated families in suburbs and rural areas and for those coming out of heterosexual marriages.
Monthly eNews
Chock full of information and events for LGBT families, the Rainbow Families eNews goes out on the third Tuesday of every month. Sign up to stay informed!
Speakers' bureau and public education
Volunteers give voice in the larger community about the needs and strengths of LGBT families. Rainbow Families can help find lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents or prospective parents to speak individually or on a panel for your college class, church function or other event. Ideally, we would request two weeks notice to find an individual speaker and three to four weeks to find a panel. Send the specific date, time, place and audience profile along with your contact information to stephanie.hazen@familyequality.org and Stephanie will follow up with you.
If you are looking to become a speaker for Rainbow Families, please complete the Speakers Bureau Application Form and submit it to Rainbow Families. To become a member of Family Equality Council’s national speakers bureau of LGBT parents, families and allies visit our OUTSpoken Center.
Children's choir
Our choir of children, ages 5 to 10, gathers together each spring to sing for Twin Cities Pride and other events.
Media relations
Rainbow Families' leadership serves as an essential voice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in the media. We work with the media to provide positive representations of LGBT families in order to educate the public about the realities of our families.
For media contact information, click here. Make sure to mention that your request is directed towards Rainbow Families the Midwest Office of Family Equality Council.
Staff
To view our staff and advisory board, click here.
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