Hello and greetings!
Welcome to the official Central Indiana LGBTQ+ Young Adult Group (CILYAG) blog! We are so excited to launch our official blog on our website. You may or may not already be familiar with who CILYAG is, but for our first blog post, we wanted to formally introduce ourselves, share our mission and goals, and engage with our followers and audience in a way that allows them to not only know us better, but provide insights on the work we do and the greater Central Indiana queer community.
So who is CILYAG and how did we get here?
CILYAG was started in February of 2023 to create an ongoing safe space for LGBTQIA+ young adults in Central Indiana that did not revolve exclusively around drinking and nightlife. We also take into consideration folks with sensory differences with each event we plan. We want to create a social and support group that is inclusive and accessible, but not stuffy or boring to build friendships, unity, relationships, and more. Our mission statement says, “To invest in the lives of LGBTQIA+ young adults in Central Indiana and provide a network of community support, free of judgment and negative peer pressure.”
So how do we do that?
Through diverse programming and events of course! Some of our favorites so far have been Queer Collective Healing, our regular Take A Hike events, and our upcoming MellowChella event at this year’s Indy Pride festival. We love working and partnering with other community organizations and members that align with our mission and goals so that we can continually provide events that are safe, inclusive, and ultimately, fun! We recently partnered with Indianapolis Queer Grief Community (IQGC) for an event we called Unity In Loss: A Queer Grief Picnic. Local artist and activist, Alex Hughes, led attendees through guided art projects that allowed everyone to express their grief with others in a safe and affirming environment. Together, participants contributed to the creation of a mural titled “What Color is Your Grief?” I was able to attend this event myself, and as someone who recently has experienced significant loss, it was such a peaceful evening to express myself and be my most queer self in community with others who were also experiencing their own grief.
On a more formal note, CILYAG is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. Fran Smith, our Founder and President, leads the Board of Directors with an impressive background in nonprofit work, a passion for the local queer community, and a finesse that motivates the rest of us to love the work we do. Each of us serve on different committees that allow us to make the machine work and work well. While we are a young organization and a young board, we find that our connections and bonds are what allow us to continue to provide successful programming and events that align with our mission and values.
So where do you come in?
Ultimately, we want you to feel motivated to attend our events on a regular basis, and become a member of our growing community. We have so many amazing events coming up, especially with Pride month just around the corner. If you are looking for a place to belong, we invite you to attend an event, join our conversations, or even just continue to follow us on social media and read our blog. Here at CILYAG, our motto is “Find Your Gold.” We believe that the young queer community in and around Indianapolis is a goldmine. You ARE the gold that we hope to find because there is space for you to belong with CILYAG.
Stevie Cox has served on the CILYAG Board of Directors since it was originally formed. Additionally, they are an Adjunct Faculty member for the Department of Communication and Theatre at the University of Indianapolis where they also graduated with both their Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Master of Arts in Public Relations. Stevie has lived in Indianapolis for 10 years, and has had a robust career in both higher education and nonprofits. Outside of work and academia, Stevie loves attending concerts and drag shows, collecting vinyl, and educating the children on the queen of country pop, Shania Twain. As a Sagittarius/Scorpio cusper, they’re sure to make your world more fabulous and entertaining!
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