Eastern Sierra Land & Community Survey: 2SLGBTQIA+ Focus Group

Did you know? When the first gay pride flag debuted in 1978 at the Gay Freedom DayParade in San Francisco, it had eight colors: hot pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, and violet. Each carried a meaning, and green symbolized nature. Here in the Eastern Sierra, many 2SLGBTQIAP+ folks love our natural surroundings and spend time outdoors. Now, on August 1, the Eastern Sierra Land & Community Survey is offering a special chance for 2SLGBTQIAP+ folks to share our views and help shape the future of our local communities and landscapes!

The Eastern Sierra Land & Community Survey (ESLCS) is a community-led research effort to understand local perspectives on nature and land uses (outdoor recreation, agriculture, conservation, etc.). The project’s long-term goal is to uplift local voices to support vibrant, healthy, and resilient Eastern Sierra communities and landscapes.

The August 1 focus group will last about two hours (6-8pm), and will be hosted in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Dinner will be provided and you can also receive a $50 gift card as compensation. The focus group will be run by ESLCS surveyor, Emily Watkins (she, they). Emily met recently with two Eastern Sierra Pride Board members and hopes the focus group will spark a larger conversation that explores local 2SLGBTQIAP+ community members’ relationships with our area’s outdoor spaces and communities. Do we feel safe outdoors? Is there a sense of connection to the community in this rural area? Was outdoor recreation a factor for moving here? What are our hopes for the Eastern Sierra’s future? All conversations and information gathered from the focus group conversation will be anonymized, so your privacy will be protected.

Email [email protected] to RSVP. If you can’t attend on August 1 but would like to share your thoughts with the project, let them know. The project is also conducting interviews, which last about an hour, and participants can receive a $50.00 gift card for their time. In-person, Zoom, and phone calls are all interview options – and surveyors can drive to meet you anywhere that works best for you. To learn more about the overall project, visit https://www.easternsierrasurvey.org/