Building a Better Village (Virtual Event)

We've all heard it said: It takes a village to raise a child, but do we ever wonder why? Of course we don't; we don't need to because it's easy to understand.

Children are vulnerable and families can only reach so far, so the care of children depends on something that extends out towards a sense of collective responsibility.

But do we ever wonder why we stop with children? Why don't we find ourselves just as committed to caring for our neighbor, the stranger down the street, or the coworker who we serve alongside? Why don't we keep creating villages that can for all of us instead?

Join Viminda Shafer and Tyler Mitchell as they talk about what it takes to build a better village that centers the experience of LGBTQ+ in the workplace.

About the Presenters:

Viminda Shafer has been connected to the field of education for nearly 20 years. She spent the bulk of that time working with middle and high school students experiencing emotional and behavioral disorders as well as those with specific learning disabilities. In her current role as The Project of the Quad Cities community relations and development coordinator,  Viminda’s passion for education and social justice work comes together and allows for her to meet with folks and share the important work TPQC is doing in the Quad Cities while pushing for equality and providing the community access to resources. Viminda is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and resides in Matherville, IL with her wife, Meghan, and their daughter, Zoey.

Born and raised in Davenport, Tyler Mitchell landed his dream job in 2019 when he was hired at TPQC's marketing & communications director. There are few things that he loves more than changing negative perceptions folks have about LGBTQ+ people. A member of the queer community himself, Tyler dreams of a Quad Cities that is open and welcoming to all.