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Out Boulder Proud of 25 Years of Service in the Community

Colorado has a long history within the LGBT community. In 1975, Clela Rorex issued the first same-sex marriage license in the United States, in Boulder County. Over a two month span, she issued six licenses. To this day, Rorex can be found volunteering once a week with Out Boulder.

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Colorado has a long history within the LGBT community. In 1975, Clela Rorex issued the first same-sex marriage license in the United States, in Boulder County. Over a two month span, she issued six licenses. To this day, Rorex can be found volunteering once a week with Out Boulder.

In 1992, the State of Colorado passed Amendment 2 with 53% of the vote, to prevent protections based on sexual orientation. That amendment, which was overturned in 1996 by the Colorado Supreme Court with the case Romer v. Evans, earned Colorado the moniker “The Hate State.”

Out Boulder's office at 630 Main St in Longmont. (photo by Matt Maenpaa/Longmont Observer)

Out Boulder was founded in 1994, to support a community in desperate need. Run by a network of volunteers who kept materials in the trunks of their cars and managed a hotline for those in need, Out Boulder has come a long way. The first Pride parade in Boulder County was a block long. Out Boulder’s Executive Director, Mardi Moore, still has the baton from it in her office.

Now, 25 years later, Moore still has materials in the trunk of her car, which she lovingly calls “Mardi’s Moving & Storage,” but they are no longer solely run by volunteers. Out Boulder has six full-time staff members, including Moore and Development and Events Manager Juan Moreno. They still have a hotline, but it serves as a confidential line for youth outreach.

Juan Moreno (l) and Mardi Moore (r) of Out Boulder. (photo by Matt Maenpaa/Longmont Observer)

In four years, the staff has doubled from three to six, and they are looking to add a permanent volunteer coordinator now as well. When Moore started, they had a single office in Boulder and didn’t have the capacity for many groups. Now with two spaces, they have a little more bandwidth. Aside from renting out space to other support groups, Out Boulder supports five separate youth groups. They are proud to have representatives from the trans community and people of color, with steering committees to inform how the organization can best support everyone.

The last few years have been difficult for the community as a whole, both nationally and locally. The national climate seems to have vocally backslid in regards to discrimination of all kinds. Even Boulder County has not been immune to incidents of hatred and discrimination. Speaking on that subject, Moore remained optimistic. “Here at Out Boulder, we do our best to stay positive and address needs where we see them, to advocate in ways that make our community safer. We’re not trying to be Pollyanna, but we are trying to maintain our community health and take care of folks that are suffering.”

“We want people to step up when they see hate, or when they hear misinformation. There was an opinion piece in the Longmont Times-CAll, by a very hateful and misinformed individual. And what we’ve seen are allies and people in the community sending letters and saying ‘Stop this, what are you thinking in publishing this misinformation and these lies?’”

Rainbow Flags adorning the median on Main St in Longmont. (Photo by Matt Maenpaa/Longmont Observer)

Moore sees the values in allies to ensure safety and mental well being in the community, be it working with the gay-straight alliance in schools, working with PFLAG, and letting people know that they are safe and supported. The importance of education and proper representation, from government and law enforcement, to local business, is valuable. “No matter where you are, there are things you can do to support the LGBT community.”

There are volunteer opportunities available all over the county, from helping to organize events, picking up banners or running support groups and getting involved with the programs. Donations can also help, from building renovations to hiring more staff.

Things are improving for the community though. Moore beamed, "We have a gay governor, a very strong and organized trans community. Stonewall was 50 years ago. I don't think we've had flags on Main St. ever."

And there are flags on Main Street in Longmont, stretching along the medians from 3rd to 5th, bringing some much needed visibility. "One of the most important things, having these flags on Main Street, or these flags hanging from our building, is that it changes the conversation. You're a youth that hasn't been able to have a conversation with your parents yet, you see 300 little flags and you can say 'I am valued and I am seen,' and it can give you a little more courage to be your true and authentic self," says Moore.

Longmont's Pride Festivities carried on the whole week, from Rainbow Story Time at the Longmont Library to a 50+ LBGTQ Mixer at La Vita Bella. Thursday is a Happy Hour celebration and Friday is Partial Proceeds Day. Saturday is the Pride Festival itself, preceded by the Visibility March at 1:30 p.m. at 4th and Main.