PFLAG Skagit looks toward future

A lot has changed since PFLAG Skagit formed in 2000, and the group continues to expand to better reach residents of Skagit County.

"Every time I go out somewhere, and I'm tabling, I ask people, ‘Do you know who we are, what we do?' And they don't," said PFLAG Skagit President Hannah Smith.

When the chapter started, PFLAG stood for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and primarily served as a parent support group.

As time passed, the chapter expanded its mission and activities, yet many still view it in terms of its original role.

Now - along with support groups - PFLAG Skagit provides resources, creates safe spaces, organizes events, awards scholarships to local high school students, runs a speakers bureau, and partners with other community groups.

"Our mission statement is that we advocate for, educate about, and support the LGBTQ community," PFLAG Skagit co-Vice President Nancy Hill Hoffman said. "So anything that we do, we hope, fits into one of those three categories."

Last year, the group formed a steering committee to determine the county's needs. The results were the following:

* A centralized location for information about the queer community in the county

* Connections with members of the LGBTQ+ community

* Inclusivity for all demographics

* Access to services

"They needed a centralized location for all the information to be in one place, so that when people come into the area, they know where to go to find what's happening and connect with each other," Smith said.

As a solution, PFLAG Skagit is working with North Sound ACH and Catchafire to receive free services to revamp the website into a space where community members can add information.

Some of the new changes people can expect include an events calendar, blog pages and mutual aid resources, with safety criteria in place to prevent misuse of the space.

Smith said she hopes the site will be up by the middle of summer, or at least by fall.

While community members wait for the website updates, PFLAG Skagit is hosting a variety of events in the next few months, including:

* A Fentanyl info session for parents and elders of queer and BIPOC young adults will be held at Bellingham Queer Collective from 6:30 to 8 p.m. April 22

* Rainbow Connecting for middle and high schoolers and families at 4:30 p.m. April 29 at Skagit Valley College

* Queer Prom 2026 at Skagit Valley College at 7 p.m. May 9

"We're here for you. We love you. You're welcome here," said PFLAG Skagit Speakers Bureau member Sage Wilkirk.

For more information about PFLAG Skagit and its upcoming events, visit pflagskagit.org.

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