Summer 2024

Written By Pride and Less Prejudice

Announcements

  • Calling All Teachers: Join Our Educator Advisory Committee

    • PLP’s Educator Advisory Committee (EAC) is a small group of educators who offer their perspectives and expertise to advance the organization’s mission. The group will offer input on PLP resources and events and share their own experiences creating LGBTQ+ inclusive classrooms. All educators who serve Pre-K through 3rd grade students are eligible to apply. This includes classroom teachers, librarians, social workers, counselors, etc.

    • We meet quarterly and ask participants for a minimum commitment of one year. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet other educators dedicated to LGBTQ+ inclusion and gain experience working in the nonprofit sector. You'll also receive a letter of recognition acknowledging your service to PLP—and more free books (of your choosing)!

    • Use this link to apply by July 1st.

  • Pride Fair in Alexandria, VA: Come join us TODAY, June 1st, 3-6 PM ET at Alexandria’s City Hall. Meet Pride and Less Prejudice founder, Lisa Forman!

  • 2024-2025 Book Launch: August 12, 2024! Keep an eye out for our 2024-2025 Book Launch this August! We will be featuring some exciting new titles this school year, and we can't wait to share them with you. 

  • Banned Together Virtual Auction: September 26-29, 2024! We are currently looking for small companies to donate items, experiences, or gift cards to support our biggest fundraiser of the year. If you are interested in donating, please contact us at info@prideandlessprejudice.org.

Updates

  • Pride and Less Prejudice Announces Inaugural Board Members:

    “We are excited to strengthen and enhance PLP with a group of board members who will bring diverse perspectives and expertise to our work,” said PLP Founder Lisa Forman. “We have worked diligently to ensure that our inaugural board brings the experience and insights that will benefit PLP as we plan for strategic growth and greater outreach. It seems only fitting to announce this important and meaningful moment for PLP as we celebrate the start of Pride Month.”

    The inaugural board members begin their two-year terms on June 1, 2024. The board members are:

    • Brian Horn (he/him), Chief Operating Officer at Disability:IN; member of NextGen Chamber of Commerce Advisory Council

    • Jen Brock (she/her), Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications at Mount Holyoke College; guest speaker on Japanese American incarceration camps

    • Kevin Cain (he/him), Director for Governmental Affairs at American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges; founder of Q Street, an association of LGBTQ advocacy professionals

    • Kelsey Sullivan (she/her), teacher and writer; LGBTQIA+ youth advocate who is the parent of two neurodivergent and gender expansive children

    • Candace Gibson (she/her), attorney advancing reproductive justice through state and federal policymaking; oversees the Guttmacher Institute’s state policy team

    • Dylan Kapit (they/them), doctoral student in special education with a focus on creating a queer-and trans-inclusive sex education curriculum for autistic young people

    Please visit the Pride and Less Prejudice website to read member bios.

  • Meet our Winter/Spring 2024 Interns!

    • Joey Mondello (he/they) is a junior at SUNY New Paltz majoring in Communication and minoring in Creative Writing. Joey is passionate about writing as a medium for self-discovery and empowerment, and he believes in the power of books to spark empathy and kindness. After college, Joey hopes to pursue a career in nonprofit fundraising.
      In their free time, Joey loves listening to music, writing, and spending time with friends. Growing up, some of his favorite books included Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, Amelia Bedelia, and Goodnight Moon. More recently, Joey has been reading a lot of Mary Oliver poems as well as Ned Vizzini's young adult classic It's Kind of a Funny Story.

    • Erin Mutchler (they/them) is a second-year graduate student at Indiana University studying Public Affairs with a focus on policy analysis and nonprofit management. Coming from a background that includes music, technology, and a strong personal commitment to LGBTQIA+ advocacy, Erin is driven by a desire to contribute meaningful change by supporting those disproportionately affected by social and economic barriers.
      When not engaged in their studies or advocacy work, Erin explores interests that lie at the intersection of creativity and technology. They are passionate about reading, writing, programming, and participating in makerspace projects, activities that allow them to merge their technical skills with their creative hobbies. Their favorite book is The Glass Castle.

Special Thanks

  • Thank you to Shane Jordan for his generous donation: 1,000 copies of The Rainbow Parade: A Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Identities and Allies!

  • Thank You to Taproot & Jamie Farnsworth! PLP would like to extend a thank you to Taproot, an organization that connects nonprofits with skilled volunteers. Taproot connected us to Jamie Farnsworth, who has been doing PLP’s data migration onto the nonprofit Salesforce package. Jamie's work has proved invaluable, and we'd like to recognize all he has done for us! 

  • Thank you again to the New Harvest Foundation for an amazing grant of $10,000 to send 800 LGBTQ-inclusive books to 400 classrooms throughout the state of Wisconsin. If you are a PreK- 3rd grade teacher that has not already requested books from us, please request or tell a friend. We are already over halfway to our goal! 

  • PLP's Teacher Town Hall: Thank you so much to our speakers: Justine Evyn Saliski, Christian Fuscarino, Katy Butler, Naomi Avadanei, Noa DeSimone, Szarina Saunders, Ali Medina, Forrest Evans, Dani Carlin, and Phillip Lee!

Pride and Less Prejudice
Next

Spring 2024