Queer Cincinnatians invited to connect over climate action

Source: CityBeat

A new Northern Kentucky event aims to bring together LGBTQ+ people who care about protecting the planet.

The Tri-State area’s Green Umbrella Regional Climate Collaborative will be hosting its first get-together event with the Ohio Lesbian Archive and Nature Beyond the Norm at Roebling Books & Coffee in Newport next week.

The meet-and-mingle will be on July 23 and is scheduled to go from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“It’s really about how we can bring together queer folks from across the region to connect about something that many queer folks are passionate about: the environment,” said Van Sullivan, Green Umbrella’s interim director and the mastermind behind the event. 

The Regional Climate Collaborative has been working with communities throughout Greater Cincinnati for almost thirty years to fight against climate change. Through programs like the Greenspace Alliance and the Climate Action Fellowship, the organization has done things like assisting sixty area schools in re-greening their schoolyards, or planting one hundred fruit trees this year alone. 

Those interested in coming to the event don’t have to commit to that level of action, though. 

“You don’t have to be working in environment or sustainability; it’s just anyone who wants to come, learn more and connect,” Sullivan said.

Event-goers will have the chance to meet fellow “climate queers” — as Sullivan calls themself — and to peruse educational materials on the connection between the LGBTQ+ community and climate action. 

In addition to educational materials and friendly faces, the event will also feature a wine menu from Voyager Beverage, the Gahanna, Ohio-based alcohol importer and wholesaler. While the event is open to the public, space is limited, and registration is necessary. Interested parties can find their free tickets on Green Umbrella’s website, available while they last. 

Throughout July, Roebling Books & Coffee will also donate 20% of proceeds from select purchases to Green Umbrella as part of the bookstore’s Book Fairy program.