Gabrielle Reeder
Open Arms Extends Giving Hands to LGBTQ+ Seniors
In 1986, a generous Minnesota man named Bill Rowe decided to extend his acts of kindness toward his neighbors. Rowe gifted his community with warm, fresh meals for those affected by AIDS and unable to cook for themselves. Rowe’s Legacy Thirty-seven years later, Rowe’s legacy thrives and benefits the community. The same principle Rowe started…
How LGBTQ+ Business Owner Kristofer Bowman Opened Dream Store: Upstate MN
Kristofer Bowman’s retail shop on the North Shore of Grand Marais is a long-realized dream from childhood. Bowman grew up on the Iron Range of Minnesota and noticed a sweet environment surrounding the North Star State as a child. “I think I was always moving back to Minnesota. I always thought it would be Minneapolis,…
Finding Peace Through the Noise, How Hennepin County Helps LGBTQ+ Community With Mental Health
The LGBTQ+ community struggles to attain the mental health care and treatment they need and deserve. With a startling number of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation introduced into the United States this year, uneasiness stirs in our community, but there are methods we can utilize to mitigate fear and stand up for one another and our…
Jones-Harrison’s Rainbow Connection Creates a Safe Haven for LGBTQ+ Elders
Six months ago, Jones-Harrison Senior Living Home cemented the Rainbow Connection program, a biweekly community group for queer adults. Lavender Magazine sat down with Heather M. Stimac, the Director of Therapeutic Recreation, Music Specialist, and Entertainment Coordinator of the living facility. What is Rainbow Connection? “As far as the Rainbow Connection, this is actually my…
Trans Soup: Advocacy, Outreach, and Croutons
Want some croutons with that soup? Trans Soup is an all-encompassing advocacy and outreach community that gives voice to the LGBTQ experience. Joni Cromer and Ann Neubauer-Brown began the coalition in March of 2022. Origins “We met at a transgender support group during COVID, and we wanted to create something coming out of COVID that…
Modern Barnyard: St. Cloud’s Staple Switches It Up
“We’ve kind of been St. Cloud’s best-kept secret for the first couple of years. We were super busy, but a lot of people didn’t even know we were here because we kind of ran on social media alone,” Jim Beck, co-owner and operator of Modern Barnyard, a St. Cloud-based business, told Lavender Magazine. Modern Barnyard’s…
The Little Wedding Co. Specializes in Quick, Budget-Friendly Weddings
The Little Wedding Co. is a queer, BIPOC, and female-owned business based in Minneapolis that specializes in granting couples special weddings for a fraction of the cost as traditional ceremonies. Lavender Magazine spoke with one of the co-owners/co-coordinators, Symone Clay, about her involvement with the company. “It started about a year before the pandemic took…
Hastings Pride
Hastings rings in its 3rd annual Pride celebration this year on June 3. Celebrating the third year of a successful Pride festival is no small feat, and the activities planned this year represent the tremendous community support toward the LGBTQ+ community. The Pride festival launches fun-filled activities on June 3. The public is invited to…
Brainerd Lakes Pride
The best part about Pride is that it isn’t subjected to a single weekend or month per year. One of the communities celebrating Pride in September is Brainerd Lakes. The Brainerd Lakes Pride Organization focuses on three important keywords through their non-profit: acceptance, awareness, and advocacy. This year’s activities kick off on Friday, September 8,…
West Saint Paul Pride
When West St. Paul Pride originated, it focused on creating a safe space for the community and allies to gather together and celebrate each other. The gathering started as one afternoon filled with stories, lunch, bounce houses, and vendor tents. Today, that small gathering blossomed into a huge celebration of LGBTQ family and allies. According…
