Dragonfly Tales: Turning Tragedy into Triumph

Bruce Cole
Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

All stories are important—even the ones that seem to get lost and take years to find their voice. Bruce Cole tells about Richard Heakin and the impact his death had on the Tucson community.

Dragonfly Tales: The Power of Few

Sari Dworkin
The Power of Few

Never let us forget that there are those among us who have demonstrated unwavering courage in the face of dire circumstances and by their actions have made the path easier for LGBTQ people everywhere.

Dragonfly Tales: When One Door is Closed, Another is Always Opened

Dan Koeshall
When One Door is Closed, Another is Always Opened

Maintaining Faith is to remain undefeated by hatred, bigotry, or illness is certainly a sign of great strength, but to emerge from such circumstances with the desire to reach out to others—changes the world for us all.

Dragonfly Tales: A Mother and Her Son

Judy Cooper
A Mother and Her Son

The love of a mother is one of the strongest bonds we experience as humans. Yet, within the LGBTQ community we are forced to ask ourselves if the love of a mother will endure in spite of society’s norms or rules? This Mother’s story bears witness that nothing can separate those who are willing to truly love— completely and unconditionally.

Reception at Reading Grounds bookstore - 10.20.07

We had Dragonfly Stories Vol 1 authors’ from the Omaha area autographing books while the crowd was entertained by Gwendy Joysen, drag performers, Crush and Alexus Raye. There were 7 LGBTQ organizations represented from the Omaha area and Rainbow Legends donated over $500 at this event.

Get your copy of Dragonfly Stories, vol 1 at http://www.rainbowlegends.com/

Release Party at Bar Natasha - October 11, 2007

Release Party at Bar Natasha for Rainbow Legends' First Book - Dragonfly Stories. This was an exciting evening of laughs, and inspiring moments. We had over 200 people in attendance and representation from 13 LGBTQ organizations from the Kansas City area. Rainbow Legends donated $1,406.60 to LGBTQ organizations from the night’s sales and contests. All the organizations do incredible work and we feel proud to have all listed as a registered LGBTQ organizations.

Get your copy of Dragonfly Stories, vol 1 at www.rainbowlegends.com

Out in Westport - October 7, 2007

Out in Westport festival was located in the Westport area of Kansas City. There were over 50 booths and entertainment. Rainbow Legends had a booth where we were handed out invitations to our Release Party at Bar Natasha for October 11th. We had a copy of the book Dragonfly Stories Volume 1 on display. There was a lot of excitement and people could hardly wait for it to be officially released. The weather held clear for a few hours before we were drenched in a downpour that brought the festival to a close.

...more about Out in Westport

August & September Activities

Rainbow Legends’ staff was busy putting together Dragonfly Stories for the October release during the months of August and September. Click below to see the promotional events during October for Dragonfly Stories Volume 1.

First Flight: Book Release Party

Save the Date: A Very Special Event
October 11, 2007 - The Book Release Party

Please join Rainbow Legends in a celebration of National Coming Out Day: FirstFlight - A Release Party for Rainbow Legends' First Book - Dragonfly Stories. This will be an exciting evening of laughs, inspiring moments, free food and drink. There will be a live band, comedienne and drag show. We will also have featured authors from the book sharing parts of their story.

The event will be held at Bar Natasha - the best fusion of culinary, mixology, performing and visual arts that Kansas City has to offer. The amazing Missy Koonce and fabulous Ron Megee to co-emcee the event.

...view the invitation here

LGBT Night at The Unicorn Theatre - KCMO

LGBT Night at The Unicorn Theatre's production of La Cage Aux Folles

Rainbow Legends will be co-hosting the LGBT reception for the Unicorn Theatre's August 23rd performance of La Cage Aux Folles with the Kansas City LGBT Community Center.

ABOUT THE SHOW: Sequins and feathers fly as family values and outrageous comedy take center stage in this new spin on the legendary Tony award winning musical. It’s “St. Tropez Night” at La Cage Aux Folles, a popular drag club owned by George and Albin. Their twenty years of domestic tranquility is shattered when their son decides to marry the daughter of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party leader. La Cage, Broadway’s first gay themed musical, will open your eyes to a whole new idea of family. You will be forced to stand up and shout “I am what I am.”

...more about The Unicorn Theatre

...more about The Kansas City LGBT Community Center

Omaha, NE: 07.19.07

Last stop!! This was our second trip to Reading Grounds Bookstore. Owners Cindy Collins and Angie Keys are incredible women with activists’ hearts. Their bookstore is truly a one of kind in Nebraska. We met people whose stories will touch lives in a meaningful way. Well, this was a fantastic trip. We met so many wonderful people and made new friends everywhere we went. The stories we collected on this trip reinforced to us just how important this project is…we can hardly wait until Oct 11, 2007 to share them with all of you.

...more about Reading Grounds Bookstore

Colorado Springs, CO: 07.18.07

Ahhh, cooler weather…The Metropolitan Community Church of Colorado Springs www.ppmcc.org opened their doors to us and allowed us to conduct interviews in their beautiful facility. Here we met cofounders Josh and Jeremy Cleveland who shared their mission and vision for HEAL. healcoloradosprings.org We also met Pastor Dan the interm minister. MCC is a welcoming ministry for all LGBT people and is an international organization.

...more about Heal Colorado Springs

...more about Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church

Phoenix, AZ: 07.17.07

PFLAG President, David Pape made arrangements for us to record interviews at Executive Plaza. We recorded many touching and heartfelt stories there. We were also invited to attend the East Valley Lesbian Coffee Group which was held at a lesbian owned café, Caffeline in Mesa, for their Grand Opening. It was wall to wall lesbians; we were thrilled to be among so many sisters and had the opportunity to make new friends.

...more about PFLAG Phoenix

...more about Plaza Executive Suites

Tuscon, AZ: 07.16.07

Moving on from the California desert to Arizona, the heart continued as we drove into the parking lot of Wingspan, the LGBT Community Center. However, once inside, we forgot all about the heat as we were greeted by the warm staff. This Center is the largest center we visited on our sixteen day trip. It is located in a twostory building with seventeen paid staff and numerous volunteers. We recorded many wonderful stories while we were there and met people we shall never forget. After the interviews were ended we were taken to City Hall by Bruce Cole to visit the memorial for Richard Heakin who was the victim of a brutal hate crime in the 1970s.

...more about Wingspan

Palm Springs, CA: 07.13.07

There is a huge gay population in Palm Springs with lots of LGBT support: Senior Rainbow Center, Desert Pride Center, Desert Aids Center, and more… We met the Director of the Senior Rainbow Center, Harvey Stern, and he shared their mission to provide companionship and community resources for older members of the LGBT Community. We also spent time with Allen White from the Desert Pride Center and he gave us a tour of the center and explained the many important programs they offer. Afterwards, he took us on an incredible tour of the city and its many gay owned establishments. We stopped by a few of these businesses and met warm open people, one couple invited us back to their home and they shared their love story with us. Again, this was a wonderful time. We can hardly wait to go back.

...more about the Golden Rainbow Senior Center

...more about the Desert Pride Community Center

San Luis Obispo, CA: 07.08.07

The weather was a comfortable 75 degrees. We had a fantastic location for our booth; between the beer garden and the main stage. We talked with hundreds of people, and gave away tshirts to people who shared their story, dollar bills, bookmarks, and other RL info. We also had the opportunity to video and audio tape twelve stories on site. At one point a vendor stopped by to tell us, that we were the talk of Pride, because most vendors wanted attendees’ money and we’re actually giving money away. He could hardly believe it was true, and tears filled his eyes when we told him the story about the Significance of One. It was a great day!!

...more about San Luis Obispo Pride

Las Vegas,NV: 07.06.07

We stopped into the LGBT community center in Las Vegas to get some information on Gay Days and Nights. The Assistant Director, Josh showed us around and introduced us to several people. We met a group of women who were heading to First Friday and invited us to join them. In the 117 degree heat we laughed, drank lots of water, and toured the art district of Las Vegas; it was a wonderful time. We gave out tshirts, bookmarks, and other Rainbow Legends information. We had a great time.

...more about The Center in Las Vegas

Denver CO: 07.05.07

This was our first stop on our sixteen day road pride trip. We met the Center Director, who welcomed us with open arms. The community center is located in downtown Denver. We left information about Rainbow Legends. She told us that a project was underway that is a collection of LGBT stories. What a super idea!!

...more about The Center in Denver

Our July Calendar

JULY: 2007

We will be visiting the following events/locations in the month of July.

07.05.07 Denver LGBT Center: glbtcolorado.org

07.06.07 Las VegasLGBT Center: thecenterlv.com

07.08.07 San Luis Obispo Pride: slopride.org

07.09.07 San Luis Obispo LGBT Center: ccgala.org

07.13.07 Palm Springs Desert PrideCenter (9am - 3pm): desertpridecenter.org

07.16.07 Tucson LGBT Center (3pm - 7pm): wingspan.org

07.17.07 Phoenix LGBT Center (3pm - 7pm): 1vcc.org

07.18.07 Colorado Springs MCC (6pm -9pm) : healcoloradosprings.org

07.19.07 Return visit to Reading Grounds Bookstore, Omaha NE: readinggrounds.com

SUBMIT YOUR STORY Reading Grounds Bookstore, Omaha NE: 06.30.07

When we attended Omaha Pride there were numerous people who asked us if we had gone to Reading Grounds. We had never heard of Reading Grounds before that day, but with so many people mentioning it we knew it was someplace we needed to discover, and we are so glad we did.
Reading Grounds is owned by Cindy Collins and her partner Angie Keyes. This is the only bookstore of its kind in all of Nebraska!! What these women are doing for the community is tremendous. They offer an opportunity to do more than purchase books from a huge selection of gay and lesbian literature. It is also a safe place for many LGBT people who would otherwise have no place to go. Cindy and Angie have created more than a bookstore—it is a home for any LGBT heart to find solace, safety, support, and love! We immediately fell in love with these women and their mission and they with ours.
Reading Grounds provided a space for people to come and share their stories with us. We interviewed eighteen people for up-coming publications. The interviews lasted all day, one right after the other. The stories we heard are moving and make us feel proud to be part of a community that is so diverse and magnificent.
A huge thanks to Cindy and Angie at Reading Grounds for making this happen. Please take the time to check out their web site. Also, give them a call if you are looking for LGBT literature—they can find it—and get it to you regardless where you live. So, check them out.

ST. LOUIS PRIDE RECAP: 06.23.07

Wow, this Pride event was located in Tower Grove Park! We were there for the Pet Parade and thousands of people showed up regardless of the heat, humidity, or rain. We were seated among approximately a hundred forty vendors. What an experience getting to know so many people, sharing what each of our companies are doing within our LGBT Community. We had a hundred forty-two people sign up for information, eighty-eight people wanted to share their story, we gave away over four hundred books, and handed out over six hundred bookmarks. Again, the legendary dollar bill—touched hundreds of hearts and lives.

DES MOINES PRIDE RECAP: 06.10.07

This was our third Pride celebration and it was located in a gorgeous park (Simon Estes Amphitheater) downtown located by the river with the state’s stunning capital building as a backdrop. What a beautiful place and what beautiful people we met. Again, the interest was thrilling. Nearly a hundred people signed up for our mailing list. Also, thirty people wanted to share their story, we gave away three hundred books, five hundred bookmarks, and the Legendary dollar bill was a huge hit. The reaction about the dollar bill never loses its impact, people tear up, hug us, and tell us, “I love you two!” It is so exciting to see this project taking flight in the hearts and minds of others.

OMAHA PRIDE RECAP: 06.09.07

This was our second Pride event located on the city streets of downtown Omaha. Yes, this time we were more prepared. We remembered to bring both the camera and video camera. We had clipboards for people to sign up if they wanted to share their story with us, or if they wanted to receive additional information. After setting up, we were ready to experience the great city of Omaha and the beautiful, colorful, people of Nebraska Pride. The outpouring of interest was incredible. We had hundreds of people sign-up and seventy-seven people wanted to share their story with Rainbow Legends. We were thrilled. We gave out nearly five hundred books, and a thousand bookmarks. Again, a huge success, and also the Legendary Dollar Bill was shared and loved.

KANSAS CITY PRIDE RECAP: 06.02.07

Kansas City Pride was located at Liberty Memorial Park. This was Rainbow Legends’ first Pride event and we did not know what to expect. We had no idea how people would respond to us or to our current project, What’s Your Story? So we just showed up, no camera (sorry), no booth—just Amanda and I with a few boxes of books and a few thousand bookmarks. As we began to talk with people the interest was tremendously positive! During our two days there we spoke with thousands of people, gave out over a thousand books, and over fifteen hundred bookmarks. We considered it a huge success.
The most memorable experience throughout this Pride event that seemed to touch people the most was that in every book we gave away we placed a dollar bill inside. At first, people were somewhat baffled by this until we explained its significance. Then they were touched, some cried, many wanted to hugs us, and some even told us, “I love you two!!”

The Legendary Dollar Bill!

A dollar bill seems insignificant by itself. All of us spend dollar bills every day and often without much thought. When you consider that every book or bookmark Rainbow Legends gives away has a dollar bill with it and you begin to think of the thousands we give away at Pride and other celebratory events then the impact becomes huge. The same is true with each person’s personal story—many people think, “Oh, it is just my story. Who cares to hear about my life or circumstances? Nobody wants to hear about my struggles or triumphs.” But, we at Rainbow Legends understand the power of storytelling and how important every life is and that every life’s journey has value and as we are willing to share our LGBT stories with the world—the magnitude of our sharing is world changing and healing.

Welcome to Rainbow Legends

Celebrating and sharing who are as LGBT people!

Within the LGBT Community there is and has been much anger and fear. Many within our community have felt the pain of rejection from their family, their society, and/or their God. This rejection has taken many forms. For some it has been a hostile condemnation: exposed publicly, fired, beaten, or disowned by their families. For others, it has been an ever present painful existence of invisibility—a constant feeling of being unseen or that their existence in the world is unimportant.
At Rainbow Legends, we understand the need for a bridge to span the gapping cavern that appears to stand between us and the world around us. We, believe the way to span this gap is as old as humanity—story telling. We understand that by telling our stories we provide success, victory, happiness, strength, and courage to the entire LGBT Community.
We believe, the time has come for us as LGBT people to take our true place in history, our true place in everyday life…to be celebrated for the colorful, brilliant, magnificent people we are—this is why Rainbow Legends exists and we are looking for your stories.