Today the Campaign for Southern Equality is excited to announce The Front Porch: Virtual Gatherings for the #LGBTQSouth, a new initiative to support LGBTQ Southerners through the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual programming will include community support groups, skill-sharing and skill-building workshops, and presentations from practitioners in their fields. All members of the CSE community are invited to join.
Information about each webinar from The Front Porch series – including RSVP and dial-in information, is available at www.southernequality.org/events. All events are free and open to the public.
Below is information about the first week of The Front Porch:
MONDAY – #LGBTQSouth Community Support Group
March 23 • 12:00-1:00pm ET
Gather with other LGBTQ Southerners for virtual time together without a formal agenda. As we all responsibly practice social distancing, it’s more important than ever to seek out new ways to get connected, get to know each other, share how we’re feeling during this challenging time, and build community together. Kick off your week with this regular lunchtime gathering, organized and hosted by CSE’s Community Health Program Director Ivy Hill.
TUESDAY – Southern Equality Studios’ Queer Artist Meet-Up Goes Virtual
March 24 • 4:00-5:30pm ET
If you’re a queer artist in the South, join us for a virtual discussion about art and identity as it relates to the COVID-19 crisis. How does social distancing affect your art? How can art bring people together at a time like this? Southern Equality Studios has worked throughout 2019 and 2020 to create a space for queer Southern artists to gather and connect – how can we navigate the challenges of being unable to physically gather while welcoming the possibilities it brings for broader regional connection? This discussion will be facilitated by Al Murray, CSE’s Director of Engagement and Organizational Development, and Liz Williams, CSE’s Artist in Residence.
Dial-in information – https://zoom.us/j/884591666 (Meeting ID: 884 591 666)
WEDNESDAY – Strategies for Getting Grounded & Staying Principled in Uncertain Times
March 25 • 4:00-5:30pm ET
Isolation can be hard, stillness can be difficult, and the anxiety that folks are experiencing around COVID-19 is real. Join CSE’s Director of Healing and Resilience, Holiday Simmons, for tips and strategies for reducing panic and stagnation, and increasing compassion and community.
Dial-in information – https://zoom.us/j/217374425 (Meeting ID: 217 374 425)
THURSDAY – Informational Webinar on Rapid Response Grants for COVID-19 Emergency Assistance and Crisis Response Projects
March 26 • 12:00-1:00pm ET
This week the Campaign for Southern Equality will launch a rapid response grant round to move resources to individuals, families, and community organizations across the LGBTQ South who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune into this webinar to learn more, ask questions of the grantmaking team, and brainstorm ideas for grants, which will be distributed through CSE’s Southern Equality Fund. CSE’s Director of Policy & Programs Allison Scott, New Southern Leaders Fellow Wynston Sanders, and Community Organizer Leila Barazandeh will lead this webinar.
Dial-in information – https://zoom.us/j/211265115 (Meeting ID: 211 265 115)
FRIDAY – J. Chong Eats: A Cooking Show for These Times
March 27 • 2:00-3:00pm ET
Join professional chef J. Chong, a CSE board member, for an accessible and fun take on healthy eating and easy recipes you can make at home. J. will prepare a meal in real time, answer your questions, and teach you strategies for staying fed and healthy in this era of social distancing.
Dial-in information – https://zoom.us/j/688264739 (Meeting ID: 884 591 666)
Stay up to date on all of the Campaign for Southern Equality’s events, including virtual events that are a part of The Front Porch, at www.southernequality.org/frontporch.
