At Diverse & Resilient, we believe that in order to help end anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) violence, we must create a culture that nurtures LGBTQ youth by promoting loving, resilient, and diverse experiences of LGBTQ communities to foster self-love and acceptance. In that spirit, D&R has partnered with Lex Allen Productions to create the Colors in Bloom campaign reminding LGBTQ people that we are beautiful, loved, and worthy.

The statewide Colors in Bloom campaign hopes to reach LGBTQ youth with a positive public campaign. Lex Allen, a Milwaukee music artist, has created the song and video “Colors in Bloom” which debuted at the LGBTQ Summit on February 24 at the Westin Hotel in Milwaukee. The public will first see billboards (as seen in image above) in Appleton and Milwaukee in May and June with hopes to roll out across the state. Visit www.roomtobesafe.org or contact us for more information.

Why this campaign? In 2017, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) recorded the highest number ever recorded of individual anti-LGBTQ homicides. According to NCAVP’s Crisis of Hate Report, there was an 86% increase in single incident reports from 2016.  The victims of these hate violence related homicides have overwhelmingly been transgender women and queer, bi, or gay cisgender men.

Why this campaign? In 2017, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) recorded the highest number ever recorded of individual anti-LGBTQ homicides. According to NCAVP’s Crisis of Hate Report, there was an 86% increase in single incident reports from 2016.   The victims of these hate violence related homicides have overwhelmingly been transgender women and queer, bi, or gay cisgender men, and 71% of the victims were people of color

In Wisconsin on March 2017, Drew Nesbitt was murdered on his 46^th birthday after meeting a man who targeted Drew for a possible hook up in Madison. The person who took Drew’s life hated his own identity and was abusive within relationships he had within the LGBTQ community.

It is our hope that this campaign will reach LGBTQ youth letting them know that they are beautiful, loved, and worthy. Just as they are.