Who We Are & What We Do
Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride (UP Rainbow 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 gender and sexuality in a healthy, safe, and affirming environment. The unique challenges that come with this, especially in rural areas like the Upper Peninsula, drive 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 explore and celebrate their identity regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, genetic information, age, marital status, familial status, political belief, religion, citizenship, veteran or military status, medical condition, or mental or physical disability. 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 UP a place LGBTQ+ people can live their lives authentically without fear. We continue that legacy.
​
Our long-term goals
Develop and run a LGBTQ+ center with a physical location, focusing directly on serving the LGBTQ+ population of the UP. Efforts 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 sustainability to collaborate on shared resources, ideas, meetings, and events. Our goal is to ensure that all LGBTQ+ organizations, individuals, and their allies in and around the UP have a place to advertise, coordinate, plan, and share ideas and resources.
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
1:00-2:30 ET