Amplifying Marginalized Voices

The Amplifying Marginalized Voices Consultation at the Retreat Center at Bon Secours near Baltimore, Maryland in December 2014.

In 2012, WATER launched a series of Catholic Lesbian/Queer Women’s Conversations with support from the Arcus Foundation as a safe space to discuss and share experiences. In December 2014, again with Arcus’ backing, WATER convened a Consultation inspired by the conversations with the goal of enlarging its scope. A group of thinkers and activists met in Baltimore, taking the conversation a step further and outlining strategies for broadening the conversation and its impact.

To continue the momentum of the Consultation, WATER launched the clearing house Amplifying Marginalized Voices in January 2015. The goal of the project, as outlined by the Consultation, is to inspire action, start conversation, and create safe spaces for listening, learning, collaboration, and support.

One convener asked: How do we as queer lesbian women broaden the conversation in a way that still shakes things up but gets us all moving forward in a way that supports people around the world where it is most desperately needed?

Amplifying Marginalized Voices will work to answer that question.