The Project of the Quad Cities (TPQC) announced the launch of, “The Village Project,” a new multi-module education series, last week.
“We realize we cannot do the very important work of supporting and surrounding LGBTQ+ people with radical love and acceptance unless we collaborate with local businesses and organizations,” said Sarah Stevens, TPQC community impact officer. “The phrase ‘it takes a village’ adopts a new meaning when we as a community commit to creating safe spaces for queer people.”
The Villages Project is aimed at decreasing stigma against LGBTQ people.
The available modules include:
- Safe Zone Training
- Pronouns 101
- Deconstructing Gender
“We know that education decreases stigma,” Stevens said. “And education shouldn’t be a commodity; it must be available to anyone who seeks it.”
While TPQC has assigned a suggested donation to the trainings in order to offset the cost, no one will be turned away because of an inability to pay. Individuals or organizations can even sponsor trainings, whether for themselves or for someone they know.
“Queer people deserve to be safe everywhere they go in this community,” Stevens said. “They deserve the kind of village that extends beyond our walls and follows them out into the rest of their lives.”
To learn more, visit www.thevillageprojectqc.org.
The Project of the Quad Cities is an HIV/AIDS service agency based in Moline and serving the Quad Cities area.