June - the month the world decides we get to celebrate our glorious chosen family and the things we are most proud of. Let’s be real- we are always celebrating.
On June 8th, we teamed up with our long-time friend, Rue, to host Ogden’s Own Record Market at Ogden’s Own Distillery. This was the 3rd annual iteration of this market, and it was incredible to be in their space this year. I think we saw just as many queer folks as non-queer folks that morning. In any case, it was a great event, and we’re constantly humbled by how many folks of all kinds show up for our events.
On June 14th, we launched the 6th, and last (for now), issue of The LQ Zine. Our cover artist is the fantastic and talented Hey Be Fab! (Check out her Substack here!) The journey has been absolutely incredible, and we don’t say that lightly. Maybe someday the emotional capacity necessary to tell the entire story will be present, but today, I’ll sum it up.
-The zine first came to fruition in 2021. We had just come out of the initial close-in of the COVID pandemic and were desperate for self-expression and community connection.
-The idea for the zine was initially proposed as a cookbook (for the Lavender Kitchen). The time came and went. But it’s so fun to revisit the roots of the idea.
-The concept quickly transitioned into a way to celebrate and expose the incredible queer talent within our small mountain town. We applied for an arts grant because paying the artists we printed was our first priority.
-Our mantra has been “If we can print it, you can submit it”. Over the years, we’ve shared poetry, photography, short stories, journalistic articles, paintings, sketches, collage artwork, pottery, jewelry, recipes, games, and many more inspiring creations.
-We put together 6 issues over the 4-year period.
-We hosted 3 community pride parties, and a multitude of smaller fundraisers, including 6 coffee for the queer community campaigns.
-We have paid over $14,000 in artist payments to keep our amazing zines fresh with new content.
We’re not afraid to say it’s time for a change. The community and world have changed drastically since we launched this project, and now more than ever, we are concerned about mutual aid and our direct community. We are also genuinely tired of justifying our need for funding through city projects. It’s become exhausting and unsustainable.
We honor our past and evolve into the future. Today, this looks like a continued coffee campaign that uplifts and supports the trans and nonbinary community in Northern Utah, financial support for local queer events (like offering DJ/entertainment fees for aligned local events), paying queer creators to continue to create, and offering donations on a case by case basis to trans and GNC folks who need extra support- whether it’s to help them get stable with housing, medications, surgical needs etc. Although we have a small budget, it’s community-based and community-centered. If you have a need or suggestion, please send us a line.
We are also excited to create ourselves. We are opening a new chapter focused on creativity and intention in our own ways. This space, being just one, is where we get to be artists.
One last update: Meet Frank - our newest addition to our family, who isn’t afraid of gender.
