story and photos by Gary Simpson
I moved back here to Boise nearly 3 years ago. Upon arrival, I had no idea what my intentions were going to be. I just got out of a 4 year relationship, and it didn’t end well. I didn’t know anyone, really. And decided to spend some time with people in our community.
I was welcomed quite warmly, but despite the inviting atmosphere, I was quickly met with warnings. Who not to associate with, who to trust, who not to. At first, I chose not to react to what people had to say. I let their comments go, and just continued through life, not really worrying what anyone else had to say. I figured it was just bar chatter.
But the comments added up after a while. It wasn’t just a few people with this opinion. “Boise Sucks,” came from every corner, every demographic within the LGBT community I could find.
It wasn’t until I sat down with a couple of individuals who discussed what life is like for members of our community who choose not to go out to the bars.
The words reflected back were still the same. If you don’t fit into a specific age range, or demographic (typically male 21-35) you were an outcast, and that there weren’t any resources available, and very little interest to make anything better.
It was at that point I realized that they, along with everyone else, were right. I didn’t see anything available as a social outlet, let alone a place where anyone felt like they belonged. Instead, there was too much separation based on social class or “title-holders.”
It shamed me to see that our community had so much of a negative image of itself, let alone each other.
So I set out to try to do something to fix the problem. I had been involved in a number of volunteer opportunities while I lived in Las Vegas. And while they weren’t targeting the LGBT community, it gave me some experience in what should be done.
I set out to try to start a nonprofit organization dedicated to the LGBT community. Our goals were simple: Provide positive social activities, opportunities for community service, and to help discourage discrimination in our community.
I met with a number of community members, involved in existing organizations, and was sarcastically met with “good luck.”
“It’s been done before,” I was told.
“There’s no need to reinvent the wheel…”
“No one will take you seriously,”
“It won’t work, people have tried and failed before…”
These words hurt to hear, but helped me develop a better image of what was happening in the community.
The biggest thing I saw in the community was a lack of inspiration. And that many people were either disappointed, or felt abandoned. And I knew something had to change.
So I set out to do something to change people’s perspectives, and at least try to inspire them to do better.
I began a page on Facebook called the Treasure Valley Unity Project. Immediately, I began inviting every possible person I knew to take part in discussions, and wrote every single day to try to help inspire others to help things change.
And yet, I was still met with criticism. I had people tell me they had little to no confidence that what I was doing would actually work. But I kept trying.
I ran into several obstacles along the way, including finding myself lost and taking a month-long trip to Las Vegas. I felt I wasn’t meeting the goals I wanted to accomplish.
When I came back home, I jumped back in. I started a hiking group, and I started up a Board Game night at the Lucky Dog.
The first week for both events, no one showed up. But the next week, people showed up. The next week, even more.
Since April, we’ve hosted a “Sunday Stroll,” a weekly nature walk designed to get people out of their comfort zone, and doing an activity that was fun and adventurous. Our most dedicated member, Desmond Slowe, has shown up for almost every single hike, and attend Game Night on occasion as well.
In the past 6 months, over 50 people have been in attendance for our hiking group. Dogs are always welcome, and we go at a pace safe for everyone. Music is played, occasionally, and we often meet for brunch afterward to continue the social activities.
We have had members ,both male and female, gay and straight. We’ve had attendees as young as in their 20s, and as old as their 60’s. The one thing we promote: everyone is welcome. It has been a fantastic journey so far, and it has been met with a lot of enthusiasm.
We also chose to adopt the Fort Boise Military Cemetery, and venture out once a month to clean it up. We want to show the LGBT Community, our allies, and the rest of the world that we can do something positive and that we can actually make a difference.
We recently reached over 500 likes on the Facebook page, and we’re still growing. We’re working on a team effort with MPowermentBoi and the Boise Gay Men’s Chorus for Rake Up Boise, hosted by Neighborhood Housing Services, a local organization that helps families in need.
We constantly encourage community involvement, and have strong ties with TCC – The Community Center, a.l.p.h.a. (Allies Linked to the Prevention of HIV and AIDS) Mr. Ms. and Miss Gay Idaho, The Imperial Sovereign Gem Court of Idaho, and many other great groups and organizations.
It was from this “project” that OutBoise was born from. We have a strong dedication to our community, and are working to help change peoples’ perspectives of who we are as a group. We want to help to fight discrimination, both from members outside of our community, but also to help end the bullying that happens inside our own community. We want Boise to be a stronger and safer place for everyone.
If you haven’t been a part of any of the events we’ve done, or would like to be involved in making our community a better place, check out TVUnity’s Facebook page, or check out the events through OutBoise. Either way, we hope you take the time to let go of the negativity and help us move toward a brighter future!
UPDATE:
As of January 2015, the projects that were listed under the Treasure Valley Unity Project were adopted under the OutBoise umbrella. We felt it there was no need to cause confusion with anyone, and felt it best to ensure brand recognition, as well as make it easier for everyone. We, at OutBoise, continue the same spirit we had under our previous name, but have expanded our reach through our magazine.
OutBoise News 