For many rural communities, public displays of anti-LGBTQ+ bias would be enough to drive even the most determined of equal rights advocates into silence.
Not so in Findlay, Ohio.
When their Pride mural crosswalk was defaced in 2020 only a few days after it was painted, the LGBTQ+ community in this second largest city in Northwest Ohio came together to descry the (misspelled) vandalism, highlight the work that still needs to be done and show the local citizenry that their LGBTQ+ neighbors were present and accounted for.
So much of that strength in this Hancock County city 40 miles south of Toledo emanates from LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay, a local non-profit dedicated to the mission of empowering their diverse community to lead healthy, successful lives through focused resources, inclusive activities and a vibrant supportive network serving Findlay and the surrounding communities.
Founded in 2010, LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay is now on the hunt for a new Executive Director to help usher the community into their next phase of LGBTQ+ community development.
To learn more about this opportunity, The Buckeye Flame spoke with Board President & Acting Executive Director Dr. Jas Bradley (who also sits on the Board of The Buckeye Flame).
As folks might be able to tell from your accent, you are not a native of Findlay?
Jas Bradley: [laughs] That is correct. I am from the United Kingdom.
For folks who have never visited that part of Ohio, how do you describe Findlay?
I describe it as a medium-sized city between Lima and Toledo, right in the center of Northwest Ohio. When people think about Northwest Ohio, they think about cornfields and rural communities and may not think that we have LGBTQ+ organizations and resources that are as strong as there are in urban areas.
But I have seen LGBTQ+ individuals who survive and thrive in Northwest Ohio. Findlay a city that allows for some of the safety that we see in urban areas while also keeping people connected to rural roots.
And to be clear: Findlay Pride is not a small celebration!
I got involved with LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay in 2017. And even then, there was a couple hundred people turning up to our Pride celebrations. We’ve managed to grow that crowd now to between 4,000-5,000 participants over the Pride weekend in Findlay.
I think that speaks to the large area around us of folks who want to engage with Pride activities, but might not want to go to the biggest cities like Columbus or Cleveland or Toledo for Pride. Or they’re looking for a very family-friendly Pride, and that is essentially our unique selling point.
One of my favorite LGBTQ+ Ohio stories over the past few years was how Findlay immediately bounced back after your rainbow crosswalk was vandalized.
Yeah, definitely. I think some of our strength is owed to the fact that we have a lot of support from our community’s leadership, which includes our small businesses, our corporate world and also at City Hall.
One of the really great things about Findlay is our community spirit. As much as there is still work needed around inclusion in the city and the wider area, there is definitely a “help thy neighbor” mentality here. And so people rallied around us when that happened. They don’t want to see that hate in their community. We were just so appreciative of the support we got at that time.
Well, exciting times there in Findlay as LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay is looking for a new executive director. Tell us a little bit about what you all are looking for in a new leader.
We’re really kind of at the beginning of developing what it could look like to have a rural LGBTQ+ center, trying to create a model where we bring in some of those services that are more prominent in our urban settings. We have a small community center space in Findlay and we have some offices there that we share with larger organizations like Equitas Health.
So we’re bringing in these services and creating kind of satellite offices for some of those LGBTQ+ resources so that we can deliver support right in this area. Usually folks in our area have to go and drive to Columbus or drive to Dayton or drive to Toledo to access things like affirming healthcare or affirming legal services.
We really see that there’s a future in continuing to grow that model of LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay providing Pride celebrations, monthly support groups for youth, adults, parents and allies, all in addition to providing education and outreach into the local community. But there are lots of services we don’t provide that we want to bring in to create access an access point for our LGBTQ+ community in Northwest Ohio.
Our next Executive Director will help lead those efforts. It’s a really exciting time for the organization and for the local LGBTQ+ community.
For LGBTQ+ Ohioans who want to spend the perfect day in Findlay, what are a couple things we absolutely need to do?
Oh, you have to come visit us. There are some great breweries in Findlay and downtown is a great place to walk around. Grab some food at Findlay Brewing Company or meet a friend at The Bourbon Affair or sit for a while at Coffee Amici. With so many welcoming and inclusive businesses, Findlay is definitely worth a visit. 🔥
Ignite Action
- Pass on the Executive Director of LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay job posting to someone you think would be a great fit. To apply send your resume and cover letter to: recruiting@spectrumoffindlaylbgt.org.
- Learn more about LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay by visiting their website. They are also looking for Board Members, so reach out to them if you’re interested in that opportunity as well!
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