Creating Community for LGBTQ People Via the Backyard Initiative

By Out In the Backyard, (a Backyard Initiative CHAT)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are all ages, races, cultures, ethnicities, religions, social and economic classes. Sexual orientation and gender identity questions are not asked on most national or state surveys, making it difficult to estimate the number of LGBTQ individuals and their health needs. The Backyard Initiative (BYI) area of South Minneapolis is home to many LGBTQ folks representing this wide range of diversity.

The importance of the work on LGBTQ health begun by Out In the Back Yard (OIBY), a Community Health Action Team or CHAT of the Backyard Initiative, starts with understanding the history of oppression and discrimination that these communities have faced. For example: in part, because bars and clubs were often historically the only places where LGBT individuals could gather, alcohol abuse has been an ongoing problem. OIBY offers classes, educational activities, and community connections as an alternative.

OIBY Community Health Action Team organizers, through offering free exercise classes, workshops pertaining to LGBTQ issues, community discussions, a resource website, etc., hope to address some of the many health inequities still existing within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) communities. In a Rainbow Health Initiative study released last year, LGBTQ people reported feeling less support in their neighborhoods than non-LGBTQ people.… Read the rest “Creating Community for LGBTQ People Via the Backyard Initiative”

FREE CLASSES WITH Out In the BackYard!

Everyone in the community is welcome to participate in these FREE and fun classes sponsored by Out in the Back Yard. Drop in as time allows. Learn yoga, Zumba, Bollywood (dance exercise from India), and hip hop at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board – Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave. S

Perhaps you”'ve already seen some of your neighbors

• dancing Zumba (a Latin inspired cardio work out class), Mondays and Fridays, 6:30 pm (on the stage)
• doing Hip Hop or Bollywood ( a dance style from Hindi films), Wednesdays, 6:30 pm (by the park building)
• stretching out in Yoga classes, Saturdays, 10 am (on the stage)
• Self-Defense, periodically offered at Five Elements Martial Arts
• Introduction to Ayurveda class, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 7-9 pm, Powderhorn Park building

Not only are the classes free and open to everyone but also a fun way to get to know new people, reduce stress, have fun, and to connect with your neighbors. The year round classes are held outside in the park during summer months and move indoors the remainder of the year.

More information is available on the group”'s Facebook page. “Like us” on: Out in the Backyard or visit our web page:
www.outinthebackyard.org

Out in the Backyard CHAT has created an interactive website: www.outinthebackyard.org.… Read the rest “FREE CLASSES WITH Out In the BackYard!”

Being OUT in the Back Yard: A BYI Community Health Action Team

By Members the BYI Community Health Action Team

Out in the Backyard (OIBY), as a Community Health Action Team or CHAT, is part of the Backyard Initiative (BYI). OIBY sponsors classes, other events, and uses fitness, dance, wellness, and nutrition classes as a way to build community and improve the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals along with the many other diverse people living in the Backyard. One community member stated: “I love the way your events create health, happiness and community connection among such a wide, diverse population in our neighborhood-you”'re helping our community be physically healthy but also creating a healthy social environment.”

Mili Dutta, one of the founders of the Out in the Backyard CHAT group said “A few years ago, when everyone in the Backyard Initiative was talking about Somali, Latina, African American community health, I realized no one was talking about Queer health,” .… Read the rest “Being OUT in the Back Yard: A BYI Community Health Action Team”