Mama Dragons

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Mama Dragons
FormationDecember, 2013 - by Gina Crivello
TypeNonprofit
FocusWe envision a world in which all mothers fiercely love and advocate for their LGBTQ children.
HeadquartersUtah
Location
  • US
Area served
United States
ProductsParachute E-Learning Program - for Parents and Families of LGBTQ kids/adults
ServicesFacebook Support Group, Suicide Prevention Training, Regional Support and Community Groups, Parachute E-learning parenting of LGBTQ platform
Members
7,300[1]
Executive Director
Celeste Carolin
Key people
Gina Crivello, Jen Blair, Wendy Montgomery, Jill Rowe, Meg Hendrix, Yvette Zobell, Diane Oviatt, Vicki Johnson, Christy Florence, Christy Beach, Neca Allgood, Hollie Hancock, Julie Packer, Wendy VonSosen, Celeste Carolin
Employees
2
Volunteers
135
WebsiteMamadragons.org parachute.mamadragons.org

Mama Dragons is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that supports, educates, and empowers mothers of LGBTQ children. Since 2013, it has grown from just a handful of moms to an organization that now supports over 7,300 mothers. Mama Dragons' focus is on providing safe online spaces and educational programs where mothers can learn and connect with other Mama Dragons traveling similar paths as they learn accepting and affirming parenting practices that can help prevent LGBTQ youth suicide, depression, and homelessness.

History

Mama Dragons began in 2013 when Gina Crivello created a message thread to seek advice from some of the mothers she had come to know for a member of the GSA she had recently started at American Fork High School in Utah.[2] This message thread almost immediately began to grow as more mothers were added that were navigating supporting their children and the intersectionality of their non-affirming Latter Day Saints (LDS) religion. In January, 2014 Gina moved the Facebook message thread to a Facebook group and named it the Mama Dragon Council, as conversations were becoming difficult to track.[3]

The name “Mama Dragons” came from a 2012 blog post that Meg Abhau wrote shortly after her 13 year-old son came out as gay.[4][5] Individuals of the original message thread began using the name "Mama Dragons” that prompted the name of the group. Meg wrote, “I have always been a mother bear. Once I found out about Jon, that didn’t seem a fierce enough title. There is a whole new level of protection that has come over me. I now call myself a Mama Dragon. I could literally breathe fire if someone hurt my son."[6][7]

In August of 2014, Gina Crivello stepped away from Facebook moving leadership over to group member Neca Allgood. In 2015, Jen Blair created Mama Dragons closed Facebook group (now renamed Mama Dragons Main Group, Private) and began running the behind the scene day to day activities. On November, 2015 the LDS church (Mormon) issued the "Nov 5th Exclusion Policy", excluding married gays from the LDS religion greatly expanding need of mom support. In 2016 Wendy Montgomery, announced rise in LGBT suicides after the LDS church launches a LGBTQ exclusion policy on November, 5th, 2015 receiving media attention from NPR and other media outlets.[8] The group has also garnered media attention for its advocacy and efforts to prevent LGBT Mormon suicides, as well as for bringing a spotlight to the intersection of religion, family, sexual orientation, and gender expression.[9][10][11]

In 2017, Neca Allgood introduced bylaws, created a Board of Directors, and was voted in as Mama Dragons first president alongside Julie Packer as President Elect serving 1 year terms.

Led by Mama Dragons President, Julie Packer, President Elect, Wendy VonSosen, and the Mama Dragons Board of Directors, Mama Dragons became a nonprofit 501(c)3 in June 2018, shortening their mission statement to, “We support, educate, and empower mothers of LGBTQ children”. The shortened mission redirected Mama Dragons focus to providing an educational and loving space for mothers, so they can celebrate their child and support their family's unique journey[12] and seasoned mother mentors could lend support, mentorship, and give encouraging advice. Mama Dragons opened their support group to those outside of LDS faith in 2017 and in 2019 they shifted their focus to all moms of LGBTQ children while maintaining specialized support of mothers from non-affirming religions and cultures. In 2018 Mama Dragons invested in training Mama Dragons QPR instructors, a certification program for instructors to teach how to recognize suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.[13] In May of 2019 Mama Dragons was featured in Oprah Magazine. [14]

In September, 2020, Mama Dragons hired their first Executive Director, Celeste Carolin, a queer business woman that had previously been on the Mama Dragons Board of Directors and leadership team, replacing volunteer President roles. [15]

Dr. Jennifer Howell, Mama Dragons Parachute Education Director, created a research based eLearning program called Parachute in July of 2021. This program is designed for parents, families, and communities and provides the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to affirm, support, and celebrate LGBTQ children.[16] The first course "Intro to Understanding Your LGBTQ child" is available all those supporting LGBTQ youth and adults.

Mama Dragons has grown rapidly and as of 2021 Mama Dragons is composed of roughly 25% mothers from the LDS faith, 25% Christian faiths, 27% that are not religious, and the rest from many other religious denominations including Pagan, Jewish, and Buddhist.

Awards

Mama Dragons was awarded Equality Utah's, Ally of the Year in October, 2016.


See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Our Origins". MamaDragons.org. Mama Dragons.
  2. ^ "How Mama Dragons was Created". Mama Dragons | Support for Mothers with LGBTQ children. 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  3. ^ "How Mama Dragons was Created". Mama Dragons | Support for Mothers with LGBTQ children. 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  4. ^ "Our Origins".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Meet the fierce group of mothers, known as 'Mama Dragons', protecting LGBT+ Mormon kids in Utah". PinkNews - Gay news, reviews and comment from the world's most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  6. ^ "Meet the fierce group of mothers, known as 'Mama Dragons', protecting LGBT+ Mormon kids in Utah". PinkNews - Gay news, reviews and comment from the world's most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  7. ^ Carolin, Celeste (2019-04-01). "The Birth of Mama Dragons". Mama Dragons. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  8. ^ "Mama Dragons Try To Prevent Suicides Among Mormon-LGBT Children". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  9. ^ Saberi, Roxana (30 June 2015). "Mormon Mama Dragons make life easier for young LGBT people". Al Jazeera.
  10. ^ Smardon, Andrea. "Mama Dragons Try To Prevent Suicides Among Mormon-LGBT Children". NPR.org. National Public Radio.
  11. ^ Harrison, Mett Ivie (18 February 2016). "Mormon Mama Dragons Roar". Huffington Post. Oaths Inc.
  12. ^ "Mama Dragons - February 14, 2019". SUU. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  13. ^ "QPR Institute | Practical and Proven Suicide Prevention Training". www.qprinstitute.com. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  14. ^ "These Women Help Fellow Moms Struggling to Accept Their LGBTQ Kids". Oprah Daily. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  15. ^ "Meet Our Team". Mama Dragons. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  16. ^ "PARACHUTE". PARACHUTE. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
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