I became active in trying to improve the situation for lgbt people connected to both these VS programs in the fall of 2011. It was then that the Mennonite Voluntary Service units were being asked to update their descriptions on the MVS webpage. MVS's website includes webpages for each volunteer house, and these include a description of their neighborhood, supportive congregation(s), and the types of placements available for volunteers put in the house. I learned from a friend in the Fresno House that they were asked if they wanted to put an lgbt welcoming designation on their webpage. They happily agreed to put a statement of welcome on the page. Below is an excerpt of the page:
The unit house, built in 1924, is located in the
historical Fresno High
School neighborhood, right next door to
the artsy, alternative, and LGBTQ-friendly Tower District. The unit
house as well is a Safe Space for LGBTQ folks.
Excited by this step to be more welcoming of lgbt, I wrote a
letter to all MVSers to inform them about the opportunity that the Fresno house had and invited them to also include a statement
of lgbt welcome on their house's webpage. I heard positive responses from several
volunteers telling me that they were working on making their units lgbt
welcoming. I was in the process of writing a letter to Supportive Communities Network congregations to gather more support for the MVSers when I discovered
that any mention of welcome of lgbtq people had been erased from the Fresno
description page. Below was the edited version of the excerpt I have quoted
above:
The unit house,
built in 1924, is located in the historic Fresno
High School
neighborhood, right next door to the artsy, alternative
Tower District.
As you can see not only was the welcome from the community
erased, but also details about their neighborhood. These changes were done
without notifying the Fresno Unit and their congregation. I contacted MVS staff, including the MVS Director, and discussed with them my disappointment and concerns regarding their decision to remove the welcome from the website. I continued to be in conversation with current and past MVSers, their local
leadership, and supportive congregations to see what ways MVS could be welcoming of lgbt people.
In May 2012, Carol Wise, Brethren Mennonite Council Executive Director and I sat
down to talk about this upcoming year. I wanted to continue to work with MVS as
a project, but was unsure about how to stay involved. We brainstormed, and
came up with the idea of me touring the different MVS units. We expanded the
tour to BVS houses as well.
Contact Reuben at kaleidoscope@bmclgbt.org to learn more about this project and arrange a visit to your unit!
Contact Reuben at kaleidoscope@bmclgbt.org to learn more about this project and arrange a visit to your unit!
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