A year ago, Safe ’N’ Sound started as a way to celebrate and honour lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people, their families and allies.
Now, the Squamish group has set up a partnership with Sea to Sky Community Services to help take the next step in the broader community.
“We are now under the umbrella of Sea to Sky Community Services,” Safe ’N’ Sound’s Margo Dent told people at a social at the Living Room on Sunday evening.
While Safe ‘N’ Sound continues to operate as its own entity, the partnership allows them to accept charitable donations through the community services organization. This arrangement will provide for financial, administrative and other support for the new organization, which does not presently have its own charitable status number, helping the group to expand its efforts to support the LGBTQ community in Squamish.
Last spring, Safe ’N’ Sound held the community’s first pride event, the Someone Like Me conference in May. The event featured comic Elvira Kurt as well as workshops and a panel discussion. After the conference, the group took a hiatus on activities until the fall.
Safe ’N’ Sound has also recently entered into an arrangement with the Squamish Public Library, which will provide space for regular drop-in events each month. These will usually take place on the second Wednesday evening of the month, although the initial one is being held in January on the first Wednesday.
“It’s basically an opportunity to get together,” Dent said. “It’ll be an opportunity to share.”
The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the events will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Having a place where lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people in Squamish can meet is important, Dent said, because they do not always find the kind of support they need in the wider community.
“For some folks, this can be a really lonely place to be,” she said.
As well, Squamish Public Library is setting up an LGBTQ resource library at the facility. Dent said the plan is to keep adding to these resources.
Safe ’N’ Sound is also planning a community “extravaganza” event for the new year, though the group is still in the process of working out details. Dent said organizers are looking for input; anyone interested can get in touch through the Safe ’N’ Sound website at www.safensoundsquamish.com. Safe ’N’ Sound is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Queering art
This weekend, North West Winter Fest is presenting Queering Art on Saturday afternoon at Quest University. The aim of the event is to increase visibility and continue creating space for queer art and identity in Squamish. The event will include performances and a panel discussion.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Multi-Purpose Room at Quest starting at 3 p.m.
