Lavender Magazine Community Pride Award – Ally: Michelle Gunderson Bahr

Volunteerism is a key pillar when it comes to supporting and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community, which is why we selected Michelle Gunderson Bahr as one of our Lavender Magazine Community Pride Award recipients.

Volunteerism runs deep in Gunderson Bahr’s soul. She has been a part of Twin Cities Pride’s volunteer corps for the past 15 years. “I was just this suburban mom…thinking I should maybe probably get involved,” Gunderson Bahr explained. “[I was] completely clueless. All I knew about Pride was what I had seen on TV.” All she did was signed up for a shift. Then, picked up the lead banner to start the Ashley Rukes parade her first year as a volunteer. The rest was history.

Aside from volunteering with Twin Cities Pride, Gunderson Bahr is also on the board of The Aliveness Project. Her capacity of volunteering stretches across her involvement with these two organizations. That includes being a Dining Out for Life Ambassador and out on the Red Ribbon Ride. That also includes the speaking engagements she makes at churches across the Twin Cities. She does all of this as a proud ally to the LGBTQ+ community

“It’s one of the biggest things here in my life,” Gunderson Bahr responded when she was informed of this award. “I do this just as much as the air that I breathe. I found my voice and I found my voice by carrying that banner in that Pride parade so many years ago. It’s led to a million different ways that I’ve been involved.”

For being the consummate volunteer, Lavender Magazine congratulates Michelle Gunderson Bahr for their Community Pride Award this year.