Arising out of Sedona, Arizona and surrounding communities is a need for greater tolerance and inclusion among our citizens. Coming from many walks of life, holding many different beliefs, and possessing intrinsic value as human beings, we the Founders, Directors, and Supporters of Unify Sedona shall engage in education and learning, working together in an environment of openness and acceptance, in which we can all thrive.
Our initial focal points include these four pillars:
We rise. Unify Sedona represents and embodies a timely and natural progression of a group in support of our LGBTQ* community, with an emphasis on education and engagement across our community, leading to greater tolerance and inclusion through improved understanding. Take a look at our logo. It represents who and what we aspire to be.
But wait a minute. Don't rainbows disappear once the weather clears? Whereas past support groups like Sedona Pride sometimes struggled to maintain an operating fund to support its desired endeavors, the people and community behind it persevered. Many of those same people, joining with new interests, have formed Unify Sedona to be funded significantly out of an endowment now being established under a trusted fiduciary. Unlike a meteorological rainbow, Unify Sedona will have longevity instantiated by, with, and for interested members of our community and surrounding areas. This sounds like Pride or PFLAG. What makes Unify Sedona different? While Sedona Pride sought to facilitate camaraderie and support for members of the LGBTQ* community, Unify Sedona subsumes those interests while reaching out beyond our traditional community to those who would not classify themselves as LGBTQ*, or perhaps even as allies. Pride groups have their charter and focus, and PFLAG groups have theirs in support of families and friends of LGBTQ* identified people. It is our hope to coordinate our efforts with those of sister organizations and beyond. The rainbow, it turns out, is wide enough to include all of us, without boundaries. Indeed, our desired board membership is our first example of outreach across traditional LGBTQ* boundaries. Isn't the rainbow a tired metaphor? Why stick with it? The rainbow is indeed an often-used metaphor for the LGBTQ* community, going back for decades. We embrace it. Consider that the rainbow is, however, only the visible portion of the light spectrum, which our human eyes can sense and brains can process. In fact, the full range of light extends far into both the red and blue directions. We believe that all those who live in fear, and all who suffer from a lack of understanding, deserve to see, to feel safe, and to understand and be understood. Unify Sedona intends to bring a light of knowledge and acceptance through education leading to tolerance, understanding, and perhaps even acceptance, one person at a time. Please stay tuned and check back often. Indeed, why not Sign Up for Online News on our home page? |