Image Description: Pink hydrangeas with dark green leaves
Happy June & Happy Pride! ☀🌈
Summer is here and we've been very busy over here at Survivor Cards and Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati!
Recent
Image Description: 4 images taken at Eastside Pride, the top left is a family of 4, with two parents and two children writing cards, the top right is a picture of our table with resources, with a blue pop-up, purple and pink table clothe, the bottom left image is chalk art that says "LOVE wins" in rainbow letters and the bottom right is a person with long hair writing a card with a hat that says "LOVE" and a shirt with different pride flags in heart shapes
The first annual Eastside Pride was an amazing success and those of us at Survivor Cards were so grateful to be a part of it!
Our volunteers handed out tons of mental health resources to those in our local community and from out of town and everyone had so much fun writing Survivor Cards for future distribution.
We hope to attend again next year!
It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces and celebrate pride with everyone.
Want to donate towards what we do?
Visit our Donation Page to donate once, monthly or annually!
Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati Updates
Image Description: 4 images from Eastside Pride, the top left is our table with books including a copy of "Heather Has Two Mommies", the top right is the back of two people with medium and long dark hair reading the back of a book and looking through a tote of books, the bottom left image is a picture of our volunteer Rachel smiling at the camera wearing a dark floral dress with her hands clasped near her waist and the bottom left image is a person with long hair and rainbow face paint looking through books while their adult with them looks down at what they're looking at wearing clergy clothing of a black shirt and collar and white pants
Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati was also in attendance of Eastside Pride and handed out over diverse 250+ books to our children, adults and families!
You kept our volunteers busy, with us even needing to make a run back home for more boxes.
We are happy to provide free diverse reading wherever it is needed and hope that these free books are passed on once they're read to someone else who would enjoy them, whether through your local library by donating them or by popping them into a Little Free Library near you.
Want to donate funds towards books? Visit our Donation Page and leave a note that it's for DBFC!
Would you rather buy us books?
Visit our Bookshop.Org Wish List!
Image Description: A purple and pink ombre background has white text on it that says "WOW!' and the info below, along with Survivor Cards logo (a white envelope with a piece of paper popping out with the organization name and a teal blue heart seal), The Book Matters logo (a letter B and a letter M jumping off the page of an open book) and The Cincy Book Bus logo, an orange abstract shape with a teal Volkswagen bus)
A huge thank you to The Cincy Book Bus, The BookMatters and Love.Mind.Book for their donations of diverse, LGBTQIA+-inclusive books for our table at Eastside Pride!
With their help, we distributed over $3000 worth of diverse books to the community.
Image Description: A dark blue background has illustrated orange, yellow and dark blue books in a stack to one side. The text is white, orange and yellow and reads "Cincinnati is Hosting 1 of 25 National LFL Week Steward Meet Up - May 14th, 2024 5:30 PM - Hosted by LFL Steward Erin Galloway
Last month, our Founder had the honor of attending Cincinnati area's Little Free Library steward meet up hosted by local library steward and DBFC volunteer, Erin Golloway!
For those unaware, Cincinnati was selected by the LFL National Network to be one of 25 cities to host a steward meet and greet during LFL week!
We had a blast connecting with other stewards in the Cincinnati area, sharing stories and tips on how to increase usage of your library, swapped new and gently used books for our libraries, and
built community.
We left with some amazing resources to share with our followers and those who visit our Little Free Library, as well as more stewards made aware of our existence and ability to provide them with diverse books or those they know!
Upcoming
Image Description: 4 images: The top left a smiling girl with her arms crossed and long hair wearing an orange cardigan and black shirt. Top right is an aerial view of Miami University with
Survivor Cards will be at this year's CSA (Cadette, Senior, Ambassador) Conference at Miami University on June 22nd.
This year's conference theme is "Forward from the past; some assembly required!" This 3-day college adventure will inspire Girl Scouts with guest speakers, lifelong skills and diving into the realm of college majors!
We will be presenting a workshop, entitled "Trauma-Informed Care & Our Community" to educate girls on trauma-informed care, PTSD and a potential career in social work.
Image Description: A dark brown background with a gray and white abstract painted circle. There is a line drawing of two people facing each other. A scribbled mass of string is in the left person's mind and it trails to an organized ball of string in the right person's mind.
Have you been thinking about looking for a therapist?
Have you started looking only to get overwhelmed by options?
Here are some quick tips to make your search for the right therapist a little less painful.
Think about the kind of approach you would prefer (direct, gentle, etc.)
Don't hesitate to ask questions or clarify
Ask yourself if the person makes you feel safe and listened to
Follow your feelings after the first meeting
Image Description: A dark brown background with a gray and white abstract painted circle. On the right side there is a picture of a smiling man wearing glasses, with short hair, a cream colored shirt and a dark green zip up jacket. In the background are trees and bamboo.
Looking For A Trauma-Informed Therapist in Cincinnati?
Consider Matthew Wick, MSW, LISW of LifeStance in Anderson Township
Practicing since 2013, with a BA in Sociology from Ohio Northern University and a Masters in Social Work from Case Western University
Experience with those living with anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance use, self-esteem problems, sexual issues, life transitions, relationship issues and former foster children
LGBTQIA+ friendly!
Laidback, conversational, but direct approach
Loves jigsaw puzzles, reading, hiking, traveling, swimming, watching movies , Pokémon and Dragon Ball-Z!
Now accepting new adult patients!
Call LifeStance at 216-468-5000 for intake
Now offering telehealth and in-person appointments
Image Description: A gray square has rainbow stripes down the left size and a white heart shining through. The text is read and reads "So You're An LGBTEEN..." and blue font reads "By Michelle Brewer-Bunnell, LISW
High school is hard. Or well, it can be. From the very first time you walk into the halls to the exams, the expectations for the future and beyond, its understandable how 4 years holds so much stress.
But beyond this, high school is the first time that there’s an opportunity to explore your identity and what it means to be yourself. Are you into sports? Music? Academics? Are you interested in social events and dating? Do you wear a certain style of clothing or makeup? Who are you? Who are you attracted to (if anyone)?
In the recent past, Ohio has become a very political space for the parts of society who identify as someone other than hetero or straight. With the inclusion of bills such as HB8 which requires school personnel to inform parents and guardians if a student identifies as LGBT, many students (and adults too) have expressed concerns about safety, positive relationships and wellness.
So what do you do?
First - Being part of the LGBT community can be lonely at times. It can be incredibly difficult to feel different from others and to be afraid of not being accepted. As much as it can feel that way, you aren’t alone. There are plenty of LGBT teens, young adults and adults who have felt that way and don’t want you to feel alone. Asking trusted friends who they trust, as well as using social media (responsibly!) Is a great first step.
Second - There are teachers, school social workers, support staff, and more who identify as LGBT or who prioritize safety of students. These can be wonderful allies to discuss concerns, and to identify safety planning choices for those who may still be 'in the closet.'
Third - Know your rights. Federal law is more important than state law. The state of Ohio says that schools are supposed to inform parents or guardians of LGBT status. Federal law (like Title IX) says that students have a right to have a safe education. That could include things like harassment, discrimination, or possibly even being “outed” to someone if that person is not a safe option.
Fourth - Research. Sometimes the having the information you need is just as important as having the people you need.
Start by looking at places like:
-Michelle Brewer-Bunnell, LISW & Survivor Cards' Treasurer
Image Description: 4 images of people, the top left is a short haired person wearing glasses and looking into the camera, they have on a black shirt, floral button up shirt open over top and a thin gold chain. The top right are two people holding a baby, the person to the left has long hair and tattoos and the person on the right has short blonde hair and gauges in their ears, they are both smiling. The bottom left image is the backs of two people embracing in a hug and looking through an open window. The bottom right image is a person with short hair and wearing make up. They are wearing a blue sweater and wrapping an arm around themselves.
It's Pride month, which for some is a month of celebration and joy, but for others is a mixed bag of emotions and experiences, or even dangerous time of year.
We would like to remind you of these great LGBTQIA+ resources, that are free to use!
877-565-8860 - 24/7
Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support.
They're run by and for trans people.
Divested from police (will not call rescue services or police)
1-866-488-7386 - 24/7
Online Chat Option or text 'START' to 678-678
Suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQIA+ youth
800-656-4673 - 24/7
Online Chat Option
RAINN is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization and is in partnership with over 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country.
1-800-799-7233 - 24/7
Online Chat Option or text "start" to 88788
Get help, plan for safety, identify abuse or get connected to local resources.
1-800-273-8255 - 24/7
Online Chat Option
Free and confidential help, with connection to crisis services.
You can also dial 988 in some cases to reach them quickly.
Text HOME to 741741 - 24/7 line or visit their website for chat and WhatsApp options
Dial 211 or text “211CARES” to 51555 – Usually 24/7!
Local Resources and Services such as financial assistance, non-profit mental health services and addiction recovery referrals
1-888-373-7888 - 24/7
or report online
A Columbus-based center for LGBTQIA+ youth that offers connections to emotional support, food, shelter, housing, physical and sexual health resources, gender affirming resources, job support and more!
A list of local and national resources compiled by Columbus State Community College's Global Diversity and Inclusion Center
This organization works with transgender and gender non-confirming youth to provide free wardrobes with everything they need from head to toe.
Offering health fairs and financial wellness classes, Cincinnati Black Pride also hosts events with STD screenings, mental health forums, film showings and more!
TAC is a 501(c)(3) offering the transgender community of Cincinnati with policy advocacy, direct services, outreach to encourage culture change, community organizing and more. They organize a Transgender Emergency Fund for emergency assistance for transgender and non-binary individuals in need of essential supporting services.
Image Description: The image is mostly orange and warm. There is a person with a black hijab and yellow shirt, tentatively smiling at the viewer and peeking out around a locker door. The text says "You Don't Have To Be Out To Be Valid" Around the person on the lockers are stickers of various pride flags, doodles of hearts and stars, and a few polaroid photos, as well as the neurodivergent pride infinity symbol in rainbow.
As always, thank you for reading and being here! Here's to a wonderful month ahead!
If you'd like to receive these bi-monthly communications straight to your email, simply visit our website, scroll to the bottom and enter your e-mail address! If you'd like to get in touch, please email us at survivorcards@gmail.com
-Alyson Wick, Founder of Survivor Cards, Hot Girls Walking and Diversity Book Fairies of Cincinnati
(Individual, Self or Organization)
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