The Route: January Edition

THE ROUTE

December 2025

Welcome to the January edition of The Route, your monthly(ish) update from Rainbow Routes, filled with queer joy, global connection, and updates from our growing community.

Updates

January has been a planning-heavy month for us, focused on shaping the academic and logistical foundation of our first California Queer History Field Study in partnership with the University of Northern Colorado.

Much of this work has involved mapping how students will move through San Francisco and Los Angeles. We’ve been thinking carefully about pacing, place, and pedagogy. What does it mean to arrive in a city with so much queer history? How do we balance celebration, context, and reflection, especially during Pride weekend? How do we introduce students to archives, neighborhoods, and community spaces in ways that feel grounded and respectful? And of course, we’re also feeling energized and motivated by early student excitement!

Alongside these questions, we’ve been confirming site visits, deepening relationships with local partners, and refining the course's academic arc. These decisions are guiding dozens of details right now, and they’re where the program is really coming to life.

If you’d like to support this work, we’re still accepting donations (big and small!) to keep this program financially accessible to all students.

Queer History Spotlight: Minneapolis

Minneapolis has long been shaped by collective action, mutual aid, and community-led movements for justice. It’s a city with deep roots in organizing and a vibrant mix of queer, trans, immigrant, and artist communities that have built culture, care, and resistance.

That history is visible in the city’s queer infrastructure. Minneapolis is home to The 19 Bar, one of the oldest continuously operating gay bars in the country, and Quatrefoil Library, a community-run LGBTQ+ library dedicated to preserving queer history and literature. Cultural institutions like One Voice Mixed Chorus, founded during the AIDS crisis, and youth-centered spaces such as Reclaim reflect how art, care, and organizing have long been intertwined in the city’s queer life.

This organizing has also shaped change beyond the city itself. In 2012, Minnesota became the first state in the country to defeat a same-sex marriage ban by popular vote, with Minneapolis-based organizers playing a central role in that campaign. It’s a reminder that sustained, local work can ripple outward in powerful ways.

Right now, Minneapolis is once again at the center of national attention as communities respond to ICE and state violence. This has impacted communities across the city, with people responding to fear and disruption through protest, mutual aid, and collective care to defend dignity and safety. To us, learning about a place and its history also means examining who is being pushed out, harmed, or asked to bear the cost of political decisions today. We stand with the people of Minneapolis and with the organizers, caregivers, and community members working to protect each other.

Sparking Queer Joy

With what can feel like a constant flow of bad news these days, we’re making space to celebrate moments of joy alongside resources for our community:

 Trans Girl Scout Cookies: Did you know that for a long time, Girl Scouts has openly included trans and nonbinary kids in its membership? This year, consider ordering your Girl Scout cookies from a trans Girl Scout (thanks to Erin In The Morning for this running list!).

 XG Redefines their Name: The Japanese hip-hop group announced on Instagram that XG now means Xtraordinary Genes, formerly Xtraordinary Girls, following member Cocona’s coming out as transmasc and nonbinary.

 Intergenerational Pen Pals: The American LGBTQ+ Museum launched Olyl, a pen pal program connecting LGBTQ+ youth with older queer adults to share stories, wisdom, and connection across generations.

 The Trevor Project Receives a Historic $45 Million Gift: The Trevor Project received a $45 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, expanding crisis services and mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth nationwide.

Thanks for being on this journey with us!

Until next month,

Lizzy (Founder & CEO)