AAUW holds NAMI panel on Club Q community recovery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The American Association of University Women (AAUW) organized a group of panelists from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Colorado Springs Saturday to brainstorm on and share community recovery efforts following the Club Q shooting in November 2022.

"As a community we're trying to figure out how to best respond to the tragedy that happened at Club Q, the mass shooting," NAMI Colorado Springs Peer Programs Coordinator Sarah Banta said. "I think there's a scramble going on because we haven't seen anything like this in our community to this point."

NAMI panelists said this is a chance to look at what the resources are for the LGBTQ community and where they need change and expansion.

The main LGBTQ specific organizations currently in existence which provide resources are 'Inside Out Youth Services' and 'The Trevor Project.' But panelists say there needs to be more.

They brought up challenges and concerns among the LGBTQ community, and that they believe Colorado Springs is currently lacking care and a support system.

"The fear associated with what happened, to know that there are groups in our community that can be targeted, and if you're a member or part of that group or community, it's a hard time," NAMI Colorado Springs Executive Director Lori Jarvis said.

The shooting sparked conversation about reaching underserved and marginalized communities and groups.

"Realizing that maybe our sense of safety was false and making real those things we have in the back of our head knowing we are a marginalized community," Banta said. "But when it actually manifests into a real event, then our understanding of how at risk we are has come to light a lot more."

Some issues brought up include safety, access to peer-identifying providers, and health care.

"Obviously its unfortunate something like this happened but I do think its a good opportunity for us to look at, what are the resources for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs," Banta said. "The reality is, there aren't very many. It's an opportunity for us to respond in implementing programming and services that are specifically for the LGBTQ community and have that be an ongoing, permanent installation."

Behavioral Health Professionals say the more people feel isolated, the more likely they'll have mental health symptoms and trauma.

"We hope that we're a community that embraces diversity," Jarvis said. "But as we see things play out, thats not always the case. So we want people to know there are safe places to talk about this, to come together, to get behavioral health support. I think most of all to not feel alone."

Panelists say giving people in the LGBTQ community safe places where they can come together, and acknowledging the emotions that follow a tragedy like Club Q such as fear, anxiety, and depression are crucial to recovery.

"It's an ongoing response. It's not just the immediate aftermath," Jarvis said. "It's gonna be a long time before that community here in our community feels safe and accepted. We're trying to accelerate that process."

NAMI Colorado Springs has been developing a new support group specifically for the LGBTQ community. It's expected to be up and running in mid-March.