This is the fourth installment in a series about RISA-NOLA, a Rainbow Initiative Community (RIC) associated with St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans. Like other groups formed under the aegis of EMM’s Rainbow Initiative, RISA-NOLA emerged as a local response to the call of The Episcopal Church to raise awareness of and provide aid to LGBTQ+ forced migrants.

If you missed Parts 1, 2, and 3, they explore the genesis and mission of RISA-NOLA, and its partnership with local non-profit Home is Here NOLA, in more detail.

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June is a time when communities across the U.S. and beyond hold events to celebrate Pride – the presence and accomplishments of LGBTQ+ people and of the gay rights movement. And in the midst of this festive month, World Refugee Day is honored — on June 20. By late spring 2024, the entire network of Rainbow Initiative Congregations and Communities (RICs) as well as their local partners were abuzz with ideas about how to leverage both events to raise more awareness of the challenges that LGBTQ+ forced migrants face and of opportunities to build communities where all are welcome.

Parading with Pride

For RISA-NOLA participants, June 2024 promised to be an exciting month. In greater New Orleans, multiple events were planned. On June 1, Randy and KB Lovejoy, members of the RISA-NOLA coordinating committee, attended a Pride parade in Mandeville, a suburb of New Orleans. The spread of Pride events to smaller localities has been noted as an encouraging sign of the growing visibility of LGBTQ+ communities across the U.S. As Randy explained, “It was the first ever Pride parade in our home parish, often considered one of the most conservative of the state,” adding that a “parish” in Louisiana is equivalent to a county in other states. “We represented RISA-NOLA there, and it was awesome!”

On June 8, New Orleans had its own Pride extravaganza, with a largely informational “Pride Fest” followed by an exuberant Pride parade through the French Quarter. RISA-NOLA participated in both events. At Pride Fest, they set up a table where they distributed informational flyers, slips inviting prayers for their ministry and newcomers, fans, bottles of water, and colorful Rainbow Initiative stickers provided by EMM, all against the backdrop of their personalized Rainbow Initiative banner. While many folks stopped by for freebies or to learn more, Randy noticed that some Fest attendees seemed to steer clear of the table: “Understandably, at a Pride event, there are a lot of people with religious trauma, that are not interested in what we, as a faith-based organization, have to present to them. That’s understandable. We just want to meet people where they are at.”

As the Fest wrapped up, RISA-NOLA participants moved to take their place in line for the parade. They joined a loose contingent of Episcopalians, which included members of St. Anna’s as well as other congregations and groups. Inclusive Louisiana, a group formed to help connect LGBTQ+ Episcopalians and allies from across the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana (EDOLA), seemed to have played a key role in mobilizing folks for the parade.

There was a float, and The Right Reverend Shannon Rogers Duckworth, Bishop of EDOLA, marched with several other clergy and laypeople, decked out in clerical collars and rainbow colors, carrying signs and fans, and making visible and audible statements of the welcome extended to all by The Episcopal Church. (photo credit: G. Douglas Adams, https://neworleanspride.org/)

For Randy and KB Lovejoy, participating in the parade on behalf of RISA-NOLA was a powerful experience. Randy and one of their “migrant friends” carried the Rainbow Initiative banner, which proclaimed, “God Loves LGBTQ+ Immigrants.” The response to the banner from many spectators or participants was striking. As Randy recalled, “I heard a lot of people screaming, ‘Yes, He does!’ or ‘That’s me!’” — making it clear that the message on the banner resonated with them. “There was a lot of joy!”

The RISA-NOLA team learned some lessons too. They wished they had thought of bringing flyers to the parade to distribute to the enthusiastic members of the crowd. “It would have been good to pass out flyers,” Randy said, “because I want people to know what we are doing and how they can help!” They’re already planning next year to invite more people, to come with more signs affirming God’s love for all, flyers detailing how to join them, and ready to make more joyful noise.

Diocesan and community connections

The excitement from the Pride parade had barely settled when it was time for the next event: a Pride Mass, planned by the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, and held at St. Anna’s, on June 13. This was a high-profile diocesan-wide event, billed as “the third annual Pride Mass.” The Very Rev. Tommy Dillon II from Baton Rouge (co-chair of the Inclusive Louisiana board) preached, Bishop Duckworth celebrated the Eucharist, and several members of St. Anna’s, including their new rector, The Rev. Allison Reid, played special roles. The Pride Mass was another reminder of the breadth of support across the diocese and The Episcopal Church, for affirming the value of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Gathered for the Pride Mass were: (front row) The Very Rev. Tommy Dillon II (rector of St. Margaret’s-Baton Rouge), The Rev. Allison Reid (rector of St. Anna’s), The Rev. Deacon Luigi Mandile, Bishop Shannon Duckworth, along with (back row) Zak Gillespie, The Rev. Deacon Ben Noble, Brother Don Dubay, and Ed Azemas, all members of St. Anna’s unless otherwise noted.

One more notable event — in honor of World Refugee Day on June 20 — was a dinner and discussion co-hosted by Home is Here NOLA, the St. Charles Center for Faith + Action, and the World Affairs Council of New Orleans. This event brought together people involved in the sponsoring organizations and allied groups, including Randy and KB Lovejoy representing RISA-NOLA. After sharing a meal, attendees engaged in guided discussions at their tables. Questions provided by the hosts invited people to talk about their personal experiences of moving or migrating, adapting to change, and engaging in community work. KB and Randy found the questions very helpful to “creating common ground” among participants, some of whom had experienced forced migration.

     

Looking back, KB Lovejoy described June 2024 in this way:

It was a really good month for bonding, joy, and connection. Sometimes this work can feel really isolating. So, it was nice to have those instances of connection. I think it can be really important for faith-based organizations to be in spaces like Pride — because so many people have negative ideas or experiences of religion. That’s real, I want to name that that is real. And I think it can be special to share common ground and common goals with people, and show people, “Hey, this is a safe place for people like you.” That’s a really special thing to share.

In all these ways, RISA-NOLA participants and friends stepped forward to join in public and community events meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride and raise awareness of the vulnerabilities and resilience of forced migrants, including those who have fled their homes due to persecution for who they are and who they love. The sense of joy and connection they found would be even more important, as they faced other changes and challenges coming to the immigrant welcome sector.

Read Part 5 of this series here.