Who is Rainbow Collective for Change?
RCC is a collective of diverse community members working together to build community and inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ families and children ages 0-12.
RCC provides LGBTQIA+ families with meaningful opportunities to connect with each other and engage in advocacy and activism as a collective. We have two chapters - our North Carolina chapter formed in 2022 and we are just forming a Minnesota chapter!
RCC also provides workshops, resources, and consulting for schools, families, and organizations to be LGBTQIA+ and Gender Inclusive. These offerings are available across the United States.
Our Values
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JUSTICE FOR ALL
All families and children deserve systems and communities that support their well-being and allow them to thrive. We work with our communities to dismantle unjust systems of care and rebuild better systems so that LGBTQ children and families- especially those that are Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or other people of color - can thrive.
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COLLECTIVE ACTION
A collective is a “group of people that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together to achieve a common goal.” We work to empower and connect families because Justice for All cannot be accomplished by a few.
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EMPATHY
We work to create spaces that prioritize human connection, truth telling, and learning from each other.
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CREATIVITY
The way things have always been done has not worked for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals and families. We work to be innovative and unconventional while we lean into what is possible for our communities.
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EDUCATION
We believe most families, educators, and employers are well-intentioned but lack the knowledge, skills, practice, and tools to be actively LGBTQ and Gender Inclusive and anti-racist. We work to provide education to families, schools, and organizations.
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EMPOWERING FAMILIES AS ADVOCATES
Parents/Caregivers are our children’s first teachers and advocates. We work to educate and empower families to embrace their child’s many identities and expressions; have (sometimes uncomfortable) conversations about race, gender, diversity, unfairness; and seek opportunities to advocate for their families and others with our community leaders.
Founder and Director
Anne Sutkowi-Hemstreet (she/they)
Anne is married to their wife, Allyson, and they have two young kids. Their family has moved from Napa, California to Durham, North Carolina and most recently to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Anne is the Founder and Director of Rainbow Collective for Change (RCC) – a grassroots organization that uses human centered design to develop initiatives and programs aiming to build support, safety, and connection for LGBTQIA+ families. Anne believes in the power of community and stories! Many of RCC’s initiatives utilize diverse children’s books to help educators and parents/caregivers have conversations with their children about gender, diverse families, race, social and racial justice, and speaking up against unfairness.
Prior to moving to Durham, Anne co-founded and directed the Rainbow Action Network of Napa Valley (RAN). For RAN, they led human centered design community work to build support, safety, and connection for LGBTQ families and efforts to engage families in anti-racist education and advocacy. Anne saw a need for continuing and building on that work in North Carolina and is now establishing a Minnesota chapter, in part to support LGBTQIA+ families like hers that are moving to Minnesota to seek safety and refuge.
Anne has 20+ years of program and curriculum development, coordination and management, and research and evaluation experience. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Public Health degree at UCLA. Her career has always focused on prevention of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide. Anne’s passion for LGBTQ and Gender Inclusion work is fueled by her two children, the children of her close friends, and her personal experience as a queer parent navigating a culture and systems that are not LGBTQ and Gender Inclusive.
Director of Education Programs
Camilo Villa (he/they)
Camilo is a Queer Latinx Spanish language educator and artist who builds intersectional spaces for learning by incorporating culturally and queerly responsive pedagogical models in his teaching practice. They currently work as the Lower School Spanish Teacher at the San Francisco Friends School, where they teach gender-inclusive Spanish to K-4th grade students. Consistent with his values is his art practice, which draws attention to social justice issues among Latin American communities.
Camilo lives in the East Bay with their husband, Sanmit. He is passionate about teaching gender-inclusive Spanish and social justice education. During his free time, Camilo enjoys making art, practicing yoga, reading books, and, most importantly, dancing salsa.
NC Program Director
Kaliq Alexander (he/him)
Kaliq (he/him) is a black transman, Early Childhood Educator and Supervisor. As an early childhood educator, he is using his time with young children to express themselves through creative projects and introduces them to a diverse types of people and cultures. He has a desire to continue to be part of the evolution of inclusive generations and liberated systems. Currently, Kaliq is working on a Dual Degree Masters in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling, with hopes to work with LGBTQIA+ children and their families. A long term goal of his is to open a community center that serves all family types and offers them gender-inclusive childcare, healthcare, and more.
In his free time, Kaliq operates his own manny (man nanny) business known as Kaliq Kare. He also enjoys creating art, and offering information about his transition on his youtube channel “Kaliq Josiah”.
NC Operations Director
Adrian Williams (they/them)
Adrian Williams (they/them) earned their B.A. in Sociology and M.S. in Counseling Psychology. In addition to their role at RCC, Adrian founded and owns a small business, AW DEI Consulting Inc.
Adrian’s professional and educational background demonstrates their commitment to creating positive societal change. They have earned certificates in Diversity and Inclusion, Inclusive Excellence, Women’s Leadership, and Interprofessional Education and have training in mental health, trauma-informed practices, and racial equity.
When Adrian is not working and running their small business, they explore the world, travel, and spend time with their family, friends, and pup LaMelo.
As RCC expands, we will continue building a strong foundation for the work we do in communities across the US. We recently established our Rainbow Collective NC Board of Directors. Learn more about our North Carolina Board Members below.
