What's next for Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance amid leadership changes? Here's what to know.

SHEBOYGAN — Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance underwent leadership changes in its fourth year as an organization.

Carolynn Lee, one of the founding members of the organization, stepped down as chairperson. The Alliance reorganized its leadership team, now composed of a steering committee rather than a vertical hierarchy.

Leadership responsibilities will be shared among Kate Krause (co-founder, Pride Picnic organizer and former treasurer), Maggie Hernandez (Pride Picnic organizer), Beckah DeYoung (former secretary) and Lezlie España (volunteer).

“Carolynn leaving (is) going to be a big change of leadership,” Krause said. “She was a powerhouse and pushed us all way further than I could have imagined we would have gone without her.”

When was the Alliance founded?

The Alliance was founded in November 2019. It was fueled by several people’s recognition for a central LBGTQ+ organization in the area to create a place for solidarity, community building and representation, Carolynn Lee said. This was also on the heels of discrimination against the queer community and the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, which led to 49 deaths.

“I think there's been a lot of new organizations like the Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance in the past five to seven years springing up around the country and especially in smaller communities and communities where there really hasn't been a really visible, public presence for the queer community in the past,” Lee said.

Pride events have emerged in neighboring cities within the past few years, including Manitowoc and Port Washington.

In fall 2019, the group held an event at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Sheboygan campus that gathered about 100 people. Community members shared the need for awareness and education, community action, and policy and advocacy work. This looked like providing resources and training, advocating to government and schools, and establishing an organizational presence.

Lee said the pandemic hindered the Alliance’s momentum, but people moved toward identifying an organization structure and a website during that period.

Maggie Hernandez said it was “exciting” to learn there was an LGBTQ+ organization when she moved back to the area in 2021 after earning undergraduate and master’s degrees outside the state.

"Having grown up in Sheboygan Falls, it’s a much smaller community, so that was impossible for me to ever think of something like that (the Alliance) being in Sheboygan Falls,” Hernandez said.

What have been major accomplishments for the Alliance so far?

Some of the Alliance's notable accomplishments include several celebrations, like hosting a winter ball where about $4,000 was raised for Pride event planning, creating a resource guide and advocating in local schools.

Alliance members, among LGBTQ+ allies, were vocal at school board meetings last school year. In the spring, they spoke against anti-LGBTQ+ policies at a Sheboygan Falls school board meeting and advocated for a curriculum addendum involving sexual orientation and gender identity expression at a Sheboygan Area School District board meeting.

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Several Alliance members noted the Pride Picnic celebrations were one of the biggest accomplishments, so far. Following a virtual event in 2021, the group hosted a Pride celebration twice in Sheboygan. The 2023 celebration was larger than the previous year, with more vendors and performers.

"Being able to celebrate our existence, and exercise joy is really, really important,” Hernandez said. “Especially in smaller communities, representation matters, and being able to exercise that joy is essential.”

Lezlie España said Pride is also a “space for people to participate and do things in Sheboygan that directly impact our community. That's what I love, is having the opportunity to do real, tangible work that can help others around me.”

Hernandez has helped organize the past two Pride events and the winter ball. She’s seen the event also create a space for volunteers and attendees to seek advice on how to address situations with their LGBTQ+ loved ones.

“That means everything, that effort that they're putting in, they're trying,” Hernandez said.

“It's so frightening navigating the world holding on to a big secret and not knowing whether or not that unconditional love that is supposed to be there, whether or not that will remain or that will be severed by living your authentic self,” Hernandez said.

On the other hand, she said the Alliance can provide that sense of community and support for queer folk who may not be supported by their families.

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What is on the horizon for the Alliance?

The leadership changes were recent, so the steering committee is still getting its footing on what's next for the organization, like discussing the Alliance’s priorities and capacities, Krause said.

In addition to continuing community events like Pride, Hernandez said the group has discussed new changes, like creating a more consistent digital presence on social media and pursuing volunteer opportunities.

“I feel like we have such momentum going right now,” she said. “Carolynn was such an incredible leader, and did so wonderfully, and empathetically, and I think set the tone for us to carry this torch moving forward.”

Lee hopes the Pride celebration will continue to grow, queer leaders will continue to step up and allies will take tangible action.

“There's a lot of support still needed for the mission of the Alliance, and a lot of people have given lip service to like, ‘That's great. I'm so glad the Alliance exists,’ but then there's just not a lot of real tangible support,” Lee said.

“I would love for there to be more concrete, demonstrable support for the work that the Alliance is doing,” she continued. “And that happens both in direct partnership — coming (to sit) at the table — but also it happens behind closed doors, like when there are things happening in board rooms that would adversely affect the LGBTQ community.”

Lee shared she was grateful to the LGBTQ+ community, those involved in establishing the Alliance and those who’ve supported the organization, like LGBTQ+ owned businesses, nonprofits and allies.

Lee said: “(There’s) lots of opportunity ahead, and so much to be proud of. I'm just really grateful that I've been able to be a part of it for the last few years, and I'm so excited to see where new leadership will take this organization.”

How can I reach the Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance?

Contact the Alliance at sheboyganlgbtqalliance@gmail.com. Find the organization at https://www.sheboyganlgbtqalliance.org/ and on Facebook and Instagram.

Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner.

This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance changes leadership, Carolynn Lee departs