Who We Are & What We Do
Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride (UP Pride) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based out of Marquette, Michigan working to create a safer, more supportive and empowering Upper Peninsula for the LGBTQ+ community.
Mission
What we believe
Everyone should be free to express their sexuality in a healthy, safe, and affirming environment. The unique challenges that come with this, especially in rural areas like the Upper Peninsula, define our cause and work.
What is pride?
It's the freedom to embrace your identity while overcoming obstacles every day. Pride is unconditional love, the belief that everyone should be free to celebrate their identity, regardless of race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, education, religion, disability, financial or familial status. Our main goals align with the values of pride.
Our current work
Distributing local resources and hosting local LGBTQ+-friendly activities and events.
Vision
A legacy of pride
UP Rainbow Pride seeks growth and change. Past members laid the groundwork, fighting to make the U.P. a place LGBTQ+ people can live their lives authentically without fear. We continue that legacy.
Our long-term goals
Create and run a LGBTQ+ center, a physical location, an organization that focuses directly on serving the LGBTQ+ population of the U.P. Working toward a safe space is actively investing in our future.
Celebrating LGBTQ+ Yooper resiliency
We want to cultivate a local culture that embraces LGBTQ+ representation. We want visibility. Our work is building the capability to collaborate on shared resources, ideas, meetings, and events. Our goal is to ensure that all LGBTQ+ organizations in and around the UP, as well as Yoopers who are LGBTQ+ or Allies, have a place to advertise, coordinate, plan, and share. Individuals would have an option to join a coordinated movement and post artwork or other creative content.
Board Meetings
Next Board Meeting:
Community members are welcome to join our next board meeting. We invite everyone to participate, whether you want to do work for the organization or if you just want to meet some new friends and discuss issues in our community.
Second Sunday each month
4:00-5:30 ET