The Equality Crew Townhall (In Person)

Dear community, 

As you have likely heard, The Equality Crew has been at risk of closing our doors due to lack of funding and difficulty maintaining operating capacity. Over the past month, we have had many hard conversations about the sustainability of our programs. At the core of what we do is the idea that kids of all identities deserve fun spaces where they can be themselves. As the only organization in Arkansas dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ youth, we recognize how essential the work we have done is for the community. Every member of our team is dedicated to ensuring that these spaces can continue regardless of the outcome of The Equality Crew as a non-profit. 

The feasibility of continued operations has become less and less likely for several reasons: 

1. Financials–we have struggled to bring in enough income to cover our core operating costs.

2. Leadership–our board has had significant turnover (95%) which has impacted our ability to meet operating needs. 

The truth of our situation is that, without a sizable amount of financial support and an expansion of a committed leadership team, The Equality Crew will cease to function by September 30th at the latest. 

As an organization founded by youth from our community, it is only fitting that we turn to you all to discuss the future of The Equality Crew and how we can create a path that honors everyone. In order to facilitate this conversation, we’d like to invite you to attend a town hall meeting to discuss these challenges in detail and explore possible solutions to keep access to these resources available. We are hosting one in person meeting and one virtual, in order to give the most community members an opportunity to engage in these discussions.

We would love to have you join us to provide your input on the future of this organization.

Thank you,

The Equality Crew