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NSVRC Blogs by Yaasmeen Piper


I am a communications intern at NSVRC and writer based in Harrisburg, Pa.

Through her years working as a foster mother, Carol Andersen encountered numerous women from marginalized communities. There were domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, including mothers fighting not only to get their kids back but to get their lives back as well. 

“These families were really torn apart by violence,” Andersen said. “As I learned about their challenges it led me to fund solutions that could help them rebuild their lives, reconnect with their children, and kind of put their family back together.”

Often the faces that were sworn to “protect and serve” their communities are unknown to the individuals within that community. As a result, cities and towns across the nation participate in National Night Out.

The relationship between law enforcement and their communities are as diverse as the people who live there. If you know your community would not benefit from this event, feel free to click away and check out our other blogs posts and resources.

As we are in the midst of LGBTQ Pride Month, chances are your timelines and dashboards are already filled with queer-themed films, shows, and, of course, literature. While there are some must-read classics (Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown, Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, and so on) here is a list of LGBTQ+ reads that you may be unfamiliar with but will tug on your heartstrings all the same.