It's difficult to believe that I've now been on an 8 season journey with this team, but WOW what a ride! And what an honor to be raising money for Rainbow Families DC - with a goal of $8000 for our 8th season!!
According to the Rainbow Families website, they offer a variety of educational programs, networking and community-building opportunities, and other support for LGBTQ+ families, parents, and prospective parents. We often talk about chosen families - this year, my cheer fam is supporting the Rainbow Families vision for world in which LGBTQ+ families can legally, openly and safely live in full equality. And you can help us, too!
For those who don't know, Cheer DC's March Fundraising Madness campaign pits our voluncheerleaders against each other in a loving bracket-style tournament with a grand prize of bragging rights as the top fundraiser of the season. We get to compete, you get to support those in need, all the while the Rainbow Families community are the big winners.
To change it up this season, we're not just competing as individuals, but with our whole parade stunt groups!! Let me introduce my group for this year: Carrie, Eric, Tori, and Juli! AKA "A biologist, a chemist, a lawyer, a librarian, and a software engineer go into a bar... and beat Nam." (Or just #BeatNam for short. We will be lifting, throwing, flipping, flying, and cheering together down the Capital Pride Parade route in June, and we'll be asking, suggesting, not too proud for begging, and (yes, still) cheering together for your donations in this campaign.
You can donate right here! Or by one of the following methods - just make sure you let me or my groupmates know first so we can get credit for your donation!
- Website: https://www.cheerdc.org/donate (put my/group's name in the cart comments)
- Venmo: @Cheer-DC
- Cash: we can make an arrangement!
And, of course, if you'd rather donate to someone else, that's okay, too. What matters is you give if you can - the world needs all the kindness it can find right now.
From how it started to how it's going (see images below), I can tell you it hasn't always been easy but I can't imagine it being any other way. Thank you to Rainbow Families for the work that you do, to Cheer DC for being the space I never imagined I would fit, and to each of you for even considering joining us on this journey of kindness.
Season 1 - a way to do something good while procrastinating PhD work - pic at Philadelphia Pride 2017
Summer 2023, end of Season 7 - a doctorate and a second kid later, and a network of literally hundreds of humans who have enriched my life and pushed me to try to be better, think harder, and put in the work to help make a change
