2023 Letter to Community
Hello Friends and Community Members,
As the Rainbow Alliance begins the 2023 calendar year, we can’t help but reflect on this past year’s most attended event held by our community volunteer organization, Pridefest 2022. That scorching day in June of 2022 helped the Rainbow Alliance establish a renewed family-orientated space full of love and acceptance right in the heart of the Wyoming Valley. Without courageous, outgoing and supporting partners, city administrations, local police, fire and ems, DPW workers, businesses and volunteers in the community, we would have never changed the perception of what a local Pride Parade and festival should look like. Pridefest 2022 was a call to action and showed that everyone is welcome in our local communities. Ultimately, regardless of the heat, it was a day that continues to spark our passion for moving forward.
In 2023 the Rainbow Alliance is experiencing some change with board development, strategic planning and renewed visions for the future. We are welcoming three new board members, saying goodbye to two outgoing board members, and creating a new vision for the year ahead by defining a new committee structure and addressing the community’s needs.
I personally want to thank our two outgoing members, who collectively have served as board members for the past 10+ years. Their leadership helped to redefine the new Rainbow Alliance and steer the organization forward with positive motion to help better serve our community, a motion that you have become accustomed to over the past few years. Additionally, it is with profound gratitude to share that I have been named 2023 Chair of the Rainbow Alliance for my final term with the Rainbow Alliance. This position requires love for NEPA, compassion and leadership for the LGBTQ+ community. Alongside the new and returning Board of Director members, I promise to continue in this role by making a difference and leaving a mark on the local LGBTQ+ community.
We know that violence and discrimination born of intolerance and marginalization continue to take lives and create barriers to equity and opportunity for LGBTQ+ people and their families. Working together to sustain visibility and a sense of community throughout Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties is one major way we can make an impact here at home. By having tremendous partners like each of you, our community and allies we will be able to move with pride, acceptance and hope. The Rainbow Alliance welcomes participation from a broad spectrum of groups and individuals invested in the LGBTQ+ community. If interested in serving on one of our active community volunteer committees please reach out to our chairs via email. You can also help by simply attending/sharing events that we share to one of our media social outlets with your families, friends and allies. For more information on getting involved please visit our website https://rainbowalliance.org/ or email nepapridefest@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Justin Correll, Chair
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