August at RISE: Healthy for Life
From presentations to teen programming, from TriPride to actively fighting hate in our area, RISE is always busy—and we can’t do any of this without our wonderful volunteers and donors. Just look what you have made possible, and check the bottom of this post for actions you can take to stop hate in our state and support RISE’s work!
Frontier Health
RISE on the big screen at Northeast State’s Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts
RISE facilitators presented “Gender Diversity and Orientation: Changing the Narrative,” a 3-hour workshop for more than 100 Frontier Health social workers, counselors, and therapists. We fielded great questions and enjoyed facilitating a conversation that helps folx think about gender and orientation from a different, more creative, compassionate perspective.
Teens RISE
Left: Teens RISE leads “Consent Is Like Pizza” workshop. Right: Teens RISE advocates with state lawmakers.
RISE is preparing for the 3rd year of the Teens RISE peer sexuality educator program. Participants in 7-12 grade learn important, accurate information to share with their peers, advocate with state legislators for inclusive, trauma-informed bills and against harmful bills, and do service projects. If your middle- or high-school student might be interested, please contact jessie@riseHFL.org.
TriPride
We are so excited that TriPride is happening this year—hope we will see you all there at the RISE tent or at the Teens RISE activity tent. Pick up some info or condoms, make some art, create a pronoun pin, or support RISE by buying one of our awesome t-shirts (the “got consent?” shirt glows in the dark!)
Kingsport City Schools
On August 9 a Kingsport school board member proposed adding language to the district’s Instructional Standards Policy (added language in bold/ital):
“All curriculum and instructional programming implemented in the school district shall adhere to state and federal laws. District employees shall not include or promote any concepts that would violate state law when providing instruction, using instructional or supplemental materials, or when implementing the instructional program curriculum and shall not create, facilitate or engage in classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The request was tabled so that additional research could be done regarding the proposed revision, and Dr. True will seek additional information and report back to the Board at its August 23 work session. RISE is working with the Tennessee Equality Project and the Pride Community & Education Center in Johnson City , and you can help, beginning now:
Write letters to editor of your local paper opposing actions like these—your legislators are watching.
Kingsport residents, email or call school board members to emphatically oppose this action.
Anyone who can, please join us, wearing red, for the working meeting on August 23. We will not be able to comment, but we can let the school board know there are many people in our community who do not support hate in our schools.
If this comes to a general meeting and vote of the school board, attend no matter what town you are in and let us know if you are a Kingsport resident who would like to speak.
Thank you!
As always, thank you for your support, for your light in the community, and for all the ways you welcome and affirm people.
If you haven’t donated recently, please consider making a financial contribution right now. Monthly donations of any size are especially appreciated since they allow us to plan ahead.
If you are interested in volunteering to facilitate classes, table with us, create social media posts, write grants, or help manage our fundraising, we would be thrilled to work with you, too! Click here and let us know what you are interested in helping out with!