When Our Rainbow Nest founder Alison Burgos and her co-founders started their own families almost a decade ago, the process for LGBTQ couples to have children was more difficult.
After many couples came to them with a plethora of legal and logistical questions, the three decided to launch a workshop to answer them.
“We love that we can use our knowledge and our own personal journey to provide resources and give guidance to people that are just starting out and trying to navigate what the right direction is for them,” Burgos said.
The workshop, called Makin’ Babies, initially started as an extension of Pandora Events, an event planning company for LGBTQ women which Burgos also co-owns. Now, Our Rainbow Nest officially launched last year as its own nonprofit and has evolved into offering resources, seminars and support for LGBTQ couples starting families.
Makin’ Babies alone has grown from a 50-70-person workshop to 200 online attendees. It brings in guest speakers, such as Elizabeth Schwartz, to cover topics ranging from understanding different methods for starting a family to knowing your legal rights as an LGBTQ family. The next online session will be held for free on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Our Rainbow Nest also provides resources to new families looking for LGBTQ-friendly providers. The nonprofit vets different doctors, sperm banks, fertility clinics, surrogate and egg donor agencies from personal experience, verified word of mouth and by looking at databases from LGBTQ rights lawyers.
Seeking out the best option for LGBTQ couples to start a family isn’t a matter of preference – it’s of safety. Burgos said she’s heard stories of lesbian couples talking with their doctor about having a child, but instead receiving a church pamphlet.
Though receiving that information is just a call or seminar away, Burgos said the nonprofit is looking into creating an official directory to launch this year that would guide couples to LGBTQ-friendly adoption agencies. She also said they are going to bring back in-person workshops later this year and add mental health wellness to their services, which would include PSAs and partnerships with local organizations.
“We all have moments where we can have feelings that feel disruptive to who we are, and you need to recognize them,” Burgos said. “And when you need help, [you can] feel comfortable asking for it and feel comfortable that you're going to be seen and protected and celebrated.”
Expanding their reach as a new organization doesn’t come without challenges, however. Burgos said they are looking into more ways to get funding to keep their services free, such as applying for grants or securing private donations.
As the LGBTQ community faces new hardships and successes every day, Burgos said she hopes Our Rainbow Nest can be a comforting constant in people’s lives.
“The landscape for everything is just changing, it's in a constant flux right now,” she said. “So we're always happy to just be a resource where somebody can reach out and know that we're going to be here to answer the phone, and we'll get them in the right hands of somebody who can help guide them in their situation.”
For more information, visit ourrainbownest.com
