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Don’t think we ever go anywhere without seizing each and every opportunity to Stand UP & Speak OUT.  We went on a canopy zip line adventure while in Mexico.  Can you imagine us hanging 540 feet above water as we traveled ¼ mile on one of the ten zips in the jungle?  Well, just check out the picture and you will see that it is true!  Two women from Cincinnati, Teresa Eagle and Mary Richmond (who we met on our journey) joined us for the week.

While on our “zip” adventure, we met two women who are partners and live in Salt Lake City, Utah.  They were also brought up Mormon.  Their story would curl the hair on your head (if you have any!).  They have five boys between the two of them.  They couldn’t ask enough questions, and we committed to staying in touch with them as they learn each day how to live more authentically.  Their story reminds us how “toxic religion” (not all religion) continues to diminish our inner selves. 

 

We also committed to contacting PFLAG in Salt Lake City to see about speaking there.  One of the ladies wants her Mom to attend.  Meeting these ladies is a good reminder for us that, even when we are simply going about our daily lives and having fun, we encounter opportunities to Stand UP & Speak OUT in ways that transform us and also empower others.

 

We barely got back in town when a contact occurred between Dotti and a lady she had not heard from in six years. This person has always struggled with religious conditioning that impacted her family, making her feel that who she is may not be ok.  Dotti found out that Faith in America was going to be in Greenville, South Carolina, and wanted to let Anne know about it.   Ironically, Anne was scheduled to attend her first ever PFLAG meeting in Greenville, South Carolina the next day.

Anne shared that her mother has passed away.  That led to a conversation about Anne sharing that she was prepared to begin living more authentically.  Every person, in their own time, creates a new and empowering energy in our society, paving the way to eradicate the impact of misinformation about our community.