Every organization has a chance to build an event program that feels genuinely reflective of the kind of communities they hope to build. When you spend time during your program expressing gratitude for the advocates who’ve helped make your mission possible, you have a chance to make your community feel not only seen and heard but also valued by your organization.
Q Center’s annual SHINE Brunch is an example of this gratitude in action. Every program element at SHINE was designed to bring voices to Q Center’s stage and honor the many people whose connection to the organization makes it an impactful and supportive place. From the emcee kicking off the event with the song “Respect” to the high energy awards presentation honoring members of Portland’s LGBTQIA+ communities, it was a celebratory and loving brunch.
This commitment to seeing and valuing the people of Q Center was a continual conversation throughout event design and execution. Q Center leadership continually asked: How can we bring more voices to stage? What kinds of awards can we give, and how can we spread the love? To do this, Q Center asked stakeholders to co-present awards and presented multiple awards in each awards category. They also honored many groups connected to Q Center as award recipients, which gave many people a chance to thank Q Center in their remarks. By the end of brunch, it was an official love fest, and that’s just the kind of thing that makes people shine.
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