Inspiring Conversations with Adrienne Brown-reasner of Up North Pride

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Brown-reasner

Hi Adrienne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2014, a group of 2SLGBTQIA+ community members gathered to discuss the need to represent and celebrate the queer community in Northern Michigan. With the overflowing support of a small group of local businesses, Up North Pride founders Jonny Cameron, Elon Cameron, and Marta Turnbull moved quickly to organize a Visibility March on the sidewalks of downtown Traverse City, followed by a small gathering at The Little Fleet. In the years since the original march, Up North Pride has grown to be the largest participant-driven LGBTQ+ Pride March in Michigan and the well beloved Pride Week, as well as a leader in Northern Michigan’s LGBTQ+ advocacy.

This last year, as Up North Pride commemorated 10 years of growth by hiring a full-time executive director and expanding programming to include monthly events and meet-ups, educational presentations, and more to help build community, connect people to needed resources, and more to foster inclusive spaces, inspiring activism, and supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Northern Michigan.

As the first director of Up North Pride, I hope to build on the reputation that the organization has built while bringing in new ideas, listening to community feedback to be sure UNP is what is needed and wanted from those we are working for and with. I got my start in the non-profit world nearly 25 years ago and have worked and volunteered with a wide range of organizations, but all with a focus on building community and advocating for those that that need it most.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Working with and for non-profit organizations comes with a number of challenges – shortage of funding, shortage of volunteers, needing to constantly argue why your organization and your work deserves attention. But it’s the passion for the work, knowing that what we are doing is important, that it’s needed and it’s helping those that may not have anyone else in their corner, that makes rising to those challenges worth the work.

We’ve been impressed with Up North Pride , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Up North Pride, we envision a community where 2SLGBTQIA+ members are visible, celebrated, and supported in all aspects of life. Our mission is to foster inclusive spaces by providing education and resources, inspiring activism and advocacy, and producing community-focused 2SLGBTQIA+ programs and events.

We produce a number of large-scale community events as well as smaller community gatherings, social groups, and educational events. We also work hard to help connect members of our community with reserouces and services they may need and advocate for the rights that we all deserve.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t know that I would label myself a risk-taker in my personal life, but professionally I like to approach things with a “let’s see if this works” attitude. Playing off of the old improv idea of always say yes, I look at new ideas and projects as chance to find out what things people want, what does not garner as much interest, what logistic issues did we run into and what do we do to make it better next time.
This year, because the LGBTQ+ community is facing more scrutiny and political attacks, we are doing more and more to make sure we are being the supportive resource that is needed, and that means try everything. We’ve launched meet ups in the smaller rural areas around Traverse City as well as affinity groups such as art nights, game nights, bike outings, and more,. We have also presented educational events to share needed information and give the public chance to ask questions directly to experts that can help them as there’s so much policy shifts and changes… and some of these things have been hugely successful, some have not, but the important thing is right now we are not afraid to try things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://upnorthpride.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/upnorthpride
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/upnorthpride/