Thank you to all who attended Klamath Basin Pride 2023!

Welcome to Klamath Basin Pride!

Mission Statement

Klamath Basin Pride is a small independent organization which aims to provide and promote queer events, community building, education and resources through the support of volunteers and sponsorships to create safe spaces and opportunities for all citizens in the Klamath Basin. 

Vision

To create open, thriving, safe and supportive spaces for LGBTQIA2S+ citizens and visitors to be able to thrive within the Klamath Basin for years to come.

Goals

Klamath Basin Pride seeks to improve the quality of life for rural LGBTQIA2S+ people in the Klamath Basin by: 

• Fostering allyship and understanding through education, advocacy, and shared experiences,
• Creating and promoting safe spaces, resources, activities, and events that support and affirm physical, social, and mental well-being,and
• Addressing social inequities that stem from the unique intersectionality of queer and rural identities locally and nationally. 

Values

Passion: We are passionate about what we do and ensuring that everyone who comes in contact with us has the best possible experience. We are a community of passionate queer and allied citizens driven to foster positive experiences and encourage others to be more involved and informed within the Klamath Basin.

Respect: We are respectful of ourselves and each other, of the unique experiences and challenges we have each had. We treat everyone we meet with respect and trust them to do the right thing. Respectful interactions and communications creates a positive and supportive community. 

Integrity: We are professional and honest and will hold ourselves accountable to behaving ethically. Acting with integrity will allow us to earn trust and respect inorder to build a positive reputation within the Klamath Basin. 

Diversity: We believe that diversity strengthens a community by looking past differences and focusing on nurturing the human spirit within us all. We work to embrace people of all race, ethnicity, ability, age, gender, sexuality, and economic statuses. We aim to eliminate barriers and challenges that limit community involvement, and create new opportunities for outreach into the Klamath Basin. 

Empowerment: We are committed to enabling everyone to feel seen, valued, and worthy. We work to empower people through education, resources, community support, and advocacy so that they become more resilient and can work at building their favorite selves.

Land Acknowledgement

Klamath Basin Pride works with and uplifts people and places on the ancestral lands of the Indigenous communities who built homes, economies, and trading routes across the land we now call Oregon. We would like to honor and acknowledge Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes, who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial: the Klamath tribe of the Southern Oregon plateau; the Burns Paiute of the high-desert east; the Coquille of Southern Oregon’s coastal forests; the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in the northern Coast Range; the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua in the Southern Oregon foothills; the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla in the Blue Mountains; the Confederated Tribes of Siletz in Oregon’s northern rainforests; the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw on the windblown southern coast; and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs on the sunny eastern slopes of the Oregon Cascades. And we would like to recognize all the other indigenous communities who have not been federally recognized.

Oregon was built on broken treaties. The lasting effects of federal and state policies, both past and present, have put Native Americans at a disadvantage for hundreds of years. It is on all of us, whether we are descendants of colonizers or inhabitants of stolen land, to re-educate ourselves and each other. Together, we have the responsibility to push past recognition and demand land repatriation and reparations to Sovereign Tribal Nations and Indigenous people across this state. OLCV aims to work in partnership with Tribes to further this endeavor of land repatriation and reparations.

Resources:
Overview of Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes
Standing Strong: The Tribal Nations of Western Oregon (video)
Broken Treaties (video)

Diversity Statement

At Klamath Basin Pride, we wholeheartedly embrace and celebrate diversity in all its forms. We include individuals of all races and ethnicities and genders and sexual orientations and levels of ability and backgrounds as it contributes to the rich tapestry of our community. Our commitment to diversity goes hand in hand with our unwavering stance against racism, discrimination, and inequality in all their manifestations.

We acknowledge that the Klamath Basin region is home to various Indigenous communities with deep-rooted histories and cultural significance. We recognize the importance of honoring and amplifying the voices and experiences of Indigenous people. Their wisdom, traditions, and resilience continue to shape the heritage of this land, and we are dedicated to fostering meaningful partnerships that promote understanding, respect, and mutual support.

As an anti-racist organization, we are actively engaged in challenging systems of oppression and dismantling structural barriers that have historically marginalized and disadvantaged certain groups. We understand that achieving equity requires ongoing education, self-reflection, and a commitment to addressing biases within ourselves and our community.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and safe space for everyone. This means actively listening to the concerns and perspectives of those who have been historically marginalized, and taking actionable steps to address their needs and aspirations. We believe that through open dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning, we can cultivate an environment where all individuals feel valued, empowered, and able to participate fully.

At Klamath Basin Pride, we are not only allies, but advocates for change. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Indigenous people and all those who face discrimination, and we work tirelessly to promote a world where justice and fairness prevail. Together, we can build a community that thrives on the strength of its diversity, stands against racism in all its forms, and honors the rich cultural heritage of the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home for generations.