May 2023 Organization Pending Newsroom Upper Arlington, Ohio
Welcome to Organization Pending's Newsroom, May 2023: Looking to Pride edition.
This month, we take a look at local events celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride and community this June, with an author recommendation of Ohio native Phil Stamper, and local queer podcast recommendations. Don't miss our deep dives with the six local LGBTQIA+ -owned Community Recommendations that will be featured in Organization Pending's upcoming OPG Pride Giveaway!
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Pride
After 2020, many neighborhoods began having their own Prides while larger celebrations remained on hiatus. These neighborhood Prides are still happening, allowing you additional opportunities to celebrate throughout June! Save the date for Rainbow UA's Third Annual Upper Arlington Pride Sunday, June 11 from 1-5pm.
Delaware Ohio Pride Festival is Saturday, June 3, 10am-5pm.
Sunday Funday - Rainbow Love Worthington Pride is Sunday, June 11, 12-5pm.
Dublin Pride Festival is June 20-25, with the parade on Saturday the 24.
Hilliard Pride is Saturday, June 10, 12-3pm.
Pride New Albany is hosting a number of events, including Pride New Albany Day on Thursday, June 8, and Pride New Albany Market on Saturday, June 10.
Short North Pride Market is June 17, 12-6pm.
The 42nd Stonewall Columbus Pride will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 16-17. The Pride March begins at the corner of Broad Street and High Street at 10:30am on Sunday, ending at Goodale Park for the Pride Festival and Resource Fair from 11am-8pm. Or visit the over 200 vendors and community resources on Saturday from 4-10pm.
Take a look at your city's calendar, search for "'my location' pride", or visit The Buckeye Flame's 2023 LGBTQ+ Ohio Pride Guide to find events near you!
Explore the origins of drag in the 1880s and its connection with Black culture with queer culture historian Channing Gerard Joseph in the TED Talk™ How Black Queer Culture Shaped History. Learn about the original Emancipation Day that sparked William Dorsey Swann and the first drag balls, and some of the reasons why we don't learn about these and other queer Black culture movers.
Check in with Kaleidoscope Youth Center's podcast, Speaking Queerly, for a discussion on the seen and unseen intersections of identity in "Be Your Full, Expansive Self": A Conversation about Black, Queer History and Identity. And don't miss The Buckeye Flame's lists of podcasts made by LGBTQIA+ Ohioans on all subjects. Check out the first list from 2020, and the update from March this year!
Stop by The 26th Annual Juneteenth Ohio Festival June 17th and 18th for a concert series, soul food pavilion, children's storytelling, classic car show, vendors, resources, and more! Tickets are $20 at the gate for adults, or purchase online for $15. Children's admission is $5.
Community Festival (ComFest) is back for its 51st year Friday through Sunday, June 23-25 at Goodale Park. An "independent, volunteer-organized celebration of creativity and activism," ComFest features Columbus and Central Ohio artists, craftspeople, musicians, activists, community organizations, food, and live music. Check out what happened last year, including workshop offerings.
Don't forget about the Summer Reading program at Upper Arlington Public Library! Search LGBTQIA+ titles in the catalog - use "lgbtqia plus," and explore the options on the right of the screen to find new titles, kid and young adult titles, graphic novels and more. Or stop by the library and ask for a recommendation!
Company News: OPG Pride Giveaway
To celebrate Pride this year, Organization Pending will be announcing our OPG Pride Giveaway on social media starting June 5 with two chances to enter for this $100 package! We will be giving away six gift cards to local LGBTQIA+ owned businesses, including a coupon for our home organizing services. Take a look at each featured business in the giveaway below, including some familiar recommendations from previous Newsroom highlights.
The Galaxy Coffee: Community Recommendation Highlight
"The Galaxy Coffee - serving coffee, tea, lattes, and delicious pastries with pride in who we are: a queer-owned worker cooperative with a commitment to building community and welcoming everyone."
The Galaxy Coffee, Columbus' first queer-owned coffee truck, started rolling on June 25, 2022; offering coffee, espresso, tea and other drinks, customizable with syrups and milks, including dairy alternatives and sugar-free options. Their accessible and inclusive menu also offers vegan pastries, gluten-free and low carb options, along with other snacks.
After working in the corporate and non-profit world for a few years, Owner Jevonna Morris (she/her) felt a sense of longing to build the space she was wanting.
"I love the feeling of hanging out with my friends, talking about everything and nothing, feeling comfortable to just be. And coffee shops are where I've met many of my favorite people - including, significantly, my wife. I love queer spaces, but I'm a bit of a nerd, and clubs and bars are not where I thrive. So, I set out to be the queer coffee shop owner I wanted to see in the world." -Jevonna Morris (she/her), Owner
Adding one of her best friends, Owner Kels Wilson (they/them), to the team, they got to work creating a name and logo as unique as their community-first vision. Working with their friend Sam Meanor to design a unique truck that instantly tells people of all genders and generations they are welcome there, the truck is lettered with the phrases "building community: a space for queers and allies" and "a coffee truck for everyone".
"We chose the name Galaxy because of an idea in the queer community that gender is more than a binary, more than a spectrum, and more like a whole galaxy of possibilities. The logo is a black silhouette of a unicorn full of white stars [...] - unicorns are a longstanding symbol of queerness. I spent months getting the shape of the unicorn just right, using references all the way from whimsical illustrations to prehistoric cave paintings. We have a good friend, Sam Meanor, who designed the huge galloping white unicorn that spans the side of our truck, as well as the gradient rainbow background and surrounding stars and coffee beans motif. Sam did an incredible job designing the artwork for the truck, and we have people stop and comment about it every day."
Another unique detail you'll notice about The Galaxy Coffee when you stop by is their Community Jar. As a worker cooperative, everyone shares the profits of the business and earns a living wage, allowing them to divert a tip jar into a Community Jar. "It helps us be more accessible to more people, especially queer people who experience poverty at greater rates than our straight counterparts. Our reimagining of tipping culture is that it works more like pay-as-you-can, where if you have enough to pay for a cup of coffee, great! If you have enough to pay for a coffee and a little bit extra for the Community Jar, also great! And if you have enough to come by our truck and enjoy a cup of coffee from the funds in the Community Jar, also equally great!" As Morris explained, "Being a worker cooperative aligns with our values of breaking down hierarchies and honoring the dignity of our humanity, and intrinsic to that is the practice of mutual aid." To date, the Community Jar has funded nearly 300 purchases!
A coffee truck to gather community and travel to local events like Community Pride and queer recreation leagues isn't the only goal for The Galaxy Coffee. "Our dream is to build something bigger than ourselves, and eventually open a brick-and-mortar coffeehouse. We want to host events, get-togethers, and just be the space where people want to meet up and do fun things. Everything from sober drag nights to craft groups, book clubs, zine swaps, and artists having a space to show off their work."
While a coffeehouse is a long-term goal, and there are many things in the works they're not able to talk about quite yet, they were able to tell us about one thing they have their fingers crossed about. "We're working on creating a small, monthly event in a park that we hope can be a little bit of the *queer space that doesn't already exist* that was our original goal all along," said Morris. Make sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on this and all their upcoming news!
The Galaxy Coffee's Top Five
Need a recommendation? Check out these crowd favorites, or take a look at their full menu - keep an eye out for some fun upcoming additions for summer!
lavender oat milk latte, usually iced
cold brew
chai or matcha latte
drip and pour over coffee
lavender lemonade
Owners' choice: mocha and hot chocolate made with ethically sourced cocoa
How to find The Galaxy Coffee:
Website: thegalaxycoffee.com
Facebook: The Galaxy Coffee Instagram: thegalaxycoffee
Email: hello@thegalaxycoffee.com Phone: (614) 784-2253
Location: Find daily updates on their website, social media, or download the Street Food Finder app for additional exploration!
Pattycake Bakery: Community Recommendation Highlight
Since September 2003, Pattycake Bakery has been "handcrafting sweets, always from scratch, using the finest primarily organic, all vegan, and 100% natural ingredients," recently teaming up with Clintonville coffee roaster Thunderkiss Coffee in March this year. Started in founder Jennie Scheinbach's garage, on May 1, 2013, Pattycake transitioned to a Worker Owned Cooperative, offering potential employees the choice to join the cooperative as full member worker-owners, or work as non-ownership-track employees, according to Project Equity. Currently there are 8 co-owners, and they're looking to hire.
"In addition to being good neighbors locally, we aim to reduce our environmental impact on a larger scale. We prioritize eco-friendly practices whenever we can: Organic and natural ingredients, compostable and recyclable materials, locally sourced seasonal pie ingredients, and local bicycle delivery to our wholesale locations. Our plant based ingredients support a less resource intensive product overall, as well."
Do you have a special occasion or wedding coming up? Take a look at their special order cakes to build a custom cake. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook to get notified when their zodiac cakes and limited time offers are released - with cookies, muffins, cakes, cupcakes, and gluten free options, there's sure to be something for everyone on Pattycake's menu.
How to find Pattycake Bakery:
Website: pattycakebakery.com
Facebook: pattycake bakery Instagram: pattycakebakery
Email: info@pattycakebakery.com Phone: (614) 784-2253
Address: 3870 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43214
The Plant Gays: Community Recommendation Highlight
Did you miss The Plant Gays' highlight in "Going Green(er)"? Click on the link for the full article!
Implementing plants into your home's recently decluttered spaces assists with keeping those spaces clutter-free, as well as improving air quality, reducing stress, and helping to support cognitive health.
Hesitating on this household upgrade? Many people have space, light, or maintenance limitations, and they're unsure of what plants could best fit their lifestyle. The Plant Gays offers interior plant design and repotting services, homemade concrete items, and vacation and corporate packages for watering services.
Visit their online store for plants, planters, vases, and accessories, as well as unique gift and aesthetic options, with a limited selection available through DoorDash®. Stop by their stall in the East Market for their full range of options, including additions from other local creators.
How to find The Plant Gays:
Email: info@theplantgays.com Website: theplantgays.com
Facebook: the plant gays Instagram: the.plant.gays
Plant design, repotting and watering services: theplantgays.com/design-repotting-services
Physical location: 212 Kelton Ave. Text for curbside service: 630-779-3132 Columbus, OH 43205
Queerencia: Community Recommendation Highlight
"Derived from the Spanish word 'querencia', which is a place where one feels safe and is able to be their most authentic self, Queerencia is a LGBTQ+ lifestyle brand that aims to be that for the queer community by empowering all people within it to embrace their true identity and express themselves boldly and proudly." -Ty Collier, Founder & CEO of Queerencia
Queerencia got its start in 2020 as a pandemic hobby for Founder and CEO Ty Collier, when the sudden halt to his parent's promotional marketing firm gave him the time and space to examine his passions in life. A love for the LGBTQ+ community with a hope to "educate, influence, and inspire the queer community to be bold and proud of who they are" was the passion, and Collier's immediate thought "was to turn to my background experience in the custom clothing and accessory space to pair these two together to make an impact."
In his former position, a main responsibility of Collier's had been "to work with high growth enterprises to bring their visions to life through promotional products." When he started Queerencia as an inclusive product line for the everyday person, he thought he had left business-to-business work in the past, "but the universe had other plans for us. Qpromo helps companies and event organizers bring their visions to life by providing customer printed apparel and promotional products. My favorite part about pairing these two channels together is that we get to focus on storytelling through product and teaching the businesses and event organizers we work with how to make a long lasting impact." Qpromo offers officewear, bags, pens and other office items, mugs and more, including eco-friendly options.
"We design, print, and distribute custom apparel and promo items that let our clients make a bold statement. Whether they want to deck out their team in custom tees for a Pride parade, or hand out some fun giveaways to their entire staff or the broader community, we've got everything they need to make an impact."
In addition to their own designs, Queerencia also has partnered with InterPride, managing their online store to design, print and fulfill orders around the world. "InterPride is the world's largest organizer of Prides around the globe, and we are honored to manage their online store. As a certified LGBT Business Enterprise through NGLCC, Queerencia attends many conferences to connect, build, grow, and learn from other organizations and corporate partners. Through one of our sessions, InterPride saw our company and reached out." With this partnership, Queerencia is able to support and uplift InterPride's mission, mirroring their personal commitment to supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations.
"Queerencia aims to be a resource for the LGBTQ + community and to empower all people to be bold and proud of who they are. We use our platform to story tell through products and to amplify queer voices. The nonprofit organizations that we donate to share similar missions of supporting and uplifting our community. These organizations provide so much for the LGBTQ+ community and it is our honor to be able to give back. [...] I am so grateful for the platform that I have built and the impact that Queerencia has made on the LGBTQ+ community."
Every Queerencia purchase helps support Equitas Health, providing LGBTQ+ healthcare in 13 Midwest cities, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, serving and supporting queer youth in Columbus, The Trevor Project, providing national crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ people under 25, and The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, protecting and defending the human rights of Black transgender people.
Keep an eye on Queerencia's Instagram and Facebook to find them at Pride events locally and nationally this June!
Queerencia's Top Five
Visit queerencia.co for their entire shop, or check out these best sellers, including the Pride 2023 collection that dropped in April!
Visit Care Instructions for best practices on laundering printed and embroidered apparel.
How to find Queerencia:
Website: queerencia.co Qpromo: qpromo.co
Facebook: queerencia.co Instagram: queerencia.co
Email to contact directly: info@queerencia.co Phone: (937) 214-2865
Vintage Solutions: Community Recommendation Highlight
Did you miss the Vintage Solutions highlight in "Springing Forward"? Click on the link for the full article on Ohio's only Certified LGBTBE® (LGBT Business Enterprise) digitizing service!
At the end of decluttering, when you've sorted out the sentimental items to keep, contact Vintage Solutions. Using museum quality scanners and audiovisual digitization equipment, they help your family preserve photographs, home movies, journals, family recipes, children's artwork and more, allowing you to share these items digitally and protect the originals from damage over time. For customers with a large number of items, Vintage Solutions offers Fit & Scan options, letting you purchase bulk digitization of multiple formats at one price with no hidden fees. At the end of all services is the option to add on personalized keepsakes through Vintage Solutions' The Family Collective.
How to find Vintage Solutions:
Email: hello@myvintage solutions.com Website: myvintagesolutions.com
Facebook: Vintage Solutions Instagram: @myvintagesolutions
Set up an appointment: appointment.mymemoriesaresafe.com or call/text
Call or text: (614) 787-5060
Address (by appointment only): 200 E Campus View Blvd Ste 200
Columbus, OH 43235
Organization Pending: About Us
After spending a decade in libraries, and eight years in retail management, the pandemic and a subsequent furlough allowed Organization Pending's Owner/Operator Tabi Berkey (they/them) to take a pause, creating a list that would eventually become their home organizing business.
"When I was furloughed, I was one of those people that became obnoxiously productive and focused to balance the instability and dread many of us were feeling. One of my activities was creating a list of strengths that coworkers and supervisors had noted over the years, as well as the aspects of each job I had enjoyed the most. Organization, attention to detail, problem solving, one-on-one connections and creating real differences in people's everyday lives led me to discover home organizing as a profession. Working with a few friends and family members left me fulfilled and energized at the end of a work day, making it an easy decision to commit to an LLC January 2022, taking the business full-time last June." -Tabi Berkey (they/them), Owner/Operator Organization Pending LLC
"Creating functional spaces to serve you" not only is a motto, but a promise to clients that Berkey will work with you and your family to create spaces that make sense for you. This one-size does not fit all approach creates personalized organization for each client, allowing clients the space to take ownership of the process, learning Organizer tips and recommendations for lasting results.
Each client begins with a free virtual assessment, meeting Tabi to talk about your project(s) and goals. Organization Pending starts working for you as soon as you schedule your first work session, drafting potential space layout ideas, and researching preliminary product and resource information. As the "Hire Organization Pending" page of the website explains, "Organization Pending works with you to create personalized organization systems within your home. Our philosophy is there's not a right way, there's a best way for you. And that includes flexibility in how you're able to work with us." The popular in-person services for $50 an hour includes whole-home and individual spaces, training sessions, moving preparation and new move-in set-up assistance, as well as kid organization sessions. For long-distance clients and clients on a budget, they also offer two virtual service options, body doubling and Structured Support. Body doubling is most like the in-person training sessions, where Tabi supports clients throughout the decluttering and organizing process for $35 an hour. Their new Structured Support services offers motivated clients the personalized structure they need to complete decluttering and organizing goals with two half hour sessions and free 10-minute follow up for a total of $80. These virtual session options come with the same recommendations as in-person services, while allowing clients to work at their own pace, completing homework between sessions with the organizer.
"Many families are struggling to find functionality in their homes. Dual income households, children that outgrow clothing and interests quickly, long-term illness, the passage of time...there are so many reasons why homes aren't the havens we need. Clients who choose a training-style session work directly with me for five hours at a time, learning how to effectively declutter and categorize their belongings, gaining tips on how to personalize organization for their families. Clients who opt for these training sessions report completing additional projects on their own, setting them up to successfully continue maintaining their homes as their lives change."
In April, Organization Pending announced a partnership with Columbus Fashion Academy, allowing clients free donation pick up of select items to benefit local children's creativity and self-confidence. Take a look at April's Newsroom for the full interview. Additional donation and recycling services are available for $25 per carload, up to two locations.
Organization Pending's Top Five
Check out the top five spaces client of clients have organized -
view Results & Reviews, Instagram or Facebook for more!
pantries and kitchens
basements and storage areas
partner and kid closets
bathrooms and shared family spaces
kid creative spaces, playrooms and bedrooms
In addition to regular services, Organization Pending also publishes this monthly Newsroom, and hosts lists of Community Recommendations on their website, highlighting LGBTQIA+ -owned and affirming local resources and businesses. You might expect to find local decluttering, donation, recycling and moving resources, but you can also find recommendations for family life, local community and professionals, LGBTQIA+ resources, community events, and businesses to explore. Make sure to stop by and say hello at UA Pride Sunday, June 11, 1-5pm!
How to find Organization Pending:
Website: organizationpending.com Email: organizationpendingllc@gmail.com
Facebook: organizationpending Instagram: organizationpending
Community Recommendations: organizationpending.com/community-recommendations Newsroom: organizationpending.com/newsroom
Book Recommendation of the Month
Tabi Berkey
I was lucky enough to meet Phil Stamper during his book signing at Rainbow UA's Pride celebration in Upper Arlington last year. An Ohio native, many of Stamper's books reflect his upbringing in a small, rural community. His first middle grade novel, Small Town Pride, is a refreshing departure from the traditional coming out storyline, exploring the nuances of coming out in society. When Jake's father hangs a pride flag to show his support, some community members are concerned this could lead to a Pride parade in their town. But Jake knows that would take approval from the town council, and the mayor doesn't like to be on the side of controversy. But is a parade even something Jake wants?
I appreciated a new take on parents that could be a bit overly supportive, exploring a discussion on how to best support your child while they're coming out, and protecting their autonomy with this news. This book is a realistic look at how one person affects an entire community, and how anyone can create change where they live, given the right support systems.
Take a look at Upper Arlington Public Library's catalog for Stamper's books for teens: After Glow, As Far As You'll Take Me, Golden Boys, and The Gravity of Us, or add them to your collection by shopping local.