AFFA Mother’s Day Wish
Dear Friends,
I am writing to you as a new board member of Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA). My decision to join the board and fundraise on behalf of this organization will come as no surprise to those of you who know me. I have gay sons, and my love for and acceptance of them fuels my passion for advocacy.
I have seen the challenges my sons face firsthand—challenges I will never myself encounter as a straight person. Raising my sons has been the privilege of my life, and my greatest desire remains that their goals and dreams not be limited. It is the same wish I have for all young people within the LGBTQ community: that they might grow up in a kinder and more tolerant world.
For those of you unfamiliar with AFFA, the organization has worked tirelessly since 1998 to make Charleston a safe and fair place for LGBTQ individuals. Thanks to these efforts, the local landscape is more tolerant today, even, than it was when my son Michael came out in 2012. Charleston has made great strides in the acceptance of LGBTQ individuals over the last two decades, but the community still has a long way to go in order to achieve full equality. As AFFA continues to make strides in the LGBTQ community, here are just a few highlights.
AFFA educates and empowers our community by…
- Conducting diversity workshops in partnership with local healthcare and mental health providers such as MUSC
- Working alongside businesses and schools to educate people about the issues affecting LGBTQ individuals
- Creating visibility for the LGBTQ community by appearing in the media and making statements that lend our voices to the greater issues at hand
Some of AFFA’s recent projects include…
- The opening of the Equality Hub, the Lowcountry’s first-ever meeting space dedicated to the LGBTQ community and its advocacy groups
- A partnership with Mayor Tecklenburg to form the city’s first LGBTQ Commission, and with the City of North Charleston Police Department to create and conduct awareness training
Right now as we adjust to the realities of COVID-19 and its impact on our lives, AFFA is responding and addressing some of our community’s immediate concerns, and is a valued resource for countless individuals. However, the organization can only continue its work with the support of people like you. As my Mother’s Day wish this year, please consider making a financial contribution, think of your own loved ones and the hope you have for their lives. Every donation has an immeasurable impact, bringing a kinder, more tolerant Charleston to life for this generation and those to come.
Thank you so much,
Catherine Carter, AFFA Vice President