Rainbow Action Network is a group of LGBTQ people and allies that aims to make the Napa Valley a welcoming and supportive place for LGBTQ families, community members and visitors, by advocating for community and organization level change. RAN provides diverse families opportunities for social connection, as well as opportunities to engage in family-focused social justice activism.
Check out our new Rainbow Little Libraries at 21 different locations throughout Napa County!
About Rainbow Action Network (RAN)
Rainbow Action Network began as a design project of the First 5 Napa Network. For more information on the inception of RAN, read about the Team Rainbow Design Project.
RAN aims to increase the following in Napa County:
- Visibility (of other LGBTQ community members; visibility of support by organizations and community)
- Support (feeling supported by community)
- Safety (at schools, accessing services, from discrimination and hate crimes)
- Connection (with other LGBTQ families and individuals; with other diverse families; with allies in the community)
Design
RAN used the human centered design process to come up with creative solutions to the LGBTQ community’s needs. The following questions are asked:
- How might we…create more visibility/support of the LGBTQ Community?
- How might we…create opportunities for families to understand the value of and experience diversity and acceptance?
- How might we…help organizations be more inclusive?
- How might we…engage LGBTQ communities of color?
Visibility and Community Support
Highlights of what RAN has accomplished so far with community members, organizations, and elected officials to build visibility and support for LGBTQ community members and families.
- 7 Rainbow Flags flew at all City Halls and County Office locations throughout Napa County
- 4 new ordinances were passed to make flying the Rainbow Flag every year in June a reality
- Napa Valley Unified School District, St Helena Unified School District, and Napa County Office of Education all have flag policies to fly rainbow flags for LGBTQ Pride Month.
- Napa County Library added LGBTQ and gender inclusive books to their children’s book selection, including 56 English language books and 29 Spanish language books
- Napa County Assessor Office changed the Birth Certificate form to be inclusive.
For our family, the rainbow flag is a symbol of tolerance, acceptance, kindness and compassion. In a world where there is so much intolerance, we are overjoyed for our city to make a statement saying everyone is important.
The involvement of allies in this movement is a lesson for all efforts towards respect and social inclusion. For example, harnessing the power of allies of immigrants and their families.
Diversity and Acceptance with Families
Rainbow Kits – LGBTQ and gender inclusive toolkits for preschools in Napa County
- Include LGBTQ inclusive books, toys, materials, lesson plans, recommendations for inclusive classrooms/preschools
- Available in English to any classrooms/providers for children ages 3-5.
- Cajas Arcoíris están disponibles en Español
Contact Lilea if you are interested in a Rainbow Kit for your school or classroom.
Rainbow Story Times – Rainbow Action Network collaborates with other local organizations to host monthly story times. All story times are intentional about being bilingual and providing books that celebrate diversity and representation of different races, genders, experiences, and families. Future Story Times can be found on our Event page.
Rainbow Resources for Parents – LGBTQ and gender inclusive books, activities, and toys for families with children age 0-5
Activities can be found on this website and on the First 5 Napa Pinterest page
Each year, we create Pride Packs for children ages 3-5 and their families – these are book and craft kits that include LGBTQ and gender inclusive books and crafts and a parent guide for leading LGBTQ inclusive discussions with your children.
Connection
Rainbow Play Dates aim to build connection between LGBTQ families, other diverse families, and ally families in the community.
- Annual Pride Rainbow Play Date
- Monthly Play Dates at various local parks
- All play dates include LGBTQ and gender inclusive story time
- Connecting through Social Media on the closed Facebook Group: Napa Valley Rainbow Families.
Contact Anne to be added to the Rainbow Play Date mailing list and notified about upcoming events.
