December Newsletter
LOVELOUD’s “Home for the Holidays” Family Dinner in Salt Lake City
This season, LOVELOUD is opening our doors to the entire LGBTQ+ community for a warm, free holiday meal designed to bring comfort, connection, and joy during a time that can feel isolating for many. Join us on Wednesday, December 10th at the University of Utah Student Union from 6PM - 9PM for our first-ever “Home for the Holidays” Community Dinner—a welcoming evening for LGBTQ+ individuals, families, chosen family, and allies.
Guests will enjoy a free holiday meal, simple entertainment, creative activities, and a safe, affirming space to gather and celebrate together. No cost—just community.
If you or someone you know could use a little extra warmth this holiday season, we’d love to see you there. Because no one should spend the holidays alone—and everyone deserves a seat at the table.
The Holidays as a Means of Resistance
Celebration in times of chaos can be claimed as a form of resistance. The ups and downs of the world can leave us feeling drained and disconnected as we feel absorbed in the never-ending fluctuations required when experiencing change. When this change has a real impact on the lives of everyday people, communities can be left with a sense of powerlessness - leading them to begin normalizing the unexpected in order to cope.
What do we do when we feel the challenges of the world on our shoulders, getting seemingly heavier as the days go by? It can feel hopeless trying to navigate everything that life sends our way, but we can always return to ourselves and our community. This coming holiday season presents a chance for us to connect with the people, places, and activities that bring us joy. We deserve this; we are worth celebrating. There is strength to be found in taking action that cultivates joyful experiences, even when it feels the world around us is uncertain. There is meaning in gathering with our people and for caring for one another. There is peace in knowing that we are not alone in this journey, though we may sometimes need a gentle reminder of it.
Don’t be afraid to embrace joy this holiday season - we’re in this together.
Low-Cost Celebration Ideas:
Prioritize creation over consumption this year - make homemade decorations that will totally fill your home with the holiday spirit
Check with your local library to see if they have a “Library of Things” where you can borrow special tools, appliances, and equipment that will aid you in crafting your ideal gift, party, or meal
Organize your meals with produce that’s in season to save money and lean into the winter vibe - bonus points if you can buy directly from a local farmer
The LOVELOUD Book Club Presented by Open Books - The Deep and Dark Blue by Niki Smith
About The Deep and Dark Blue
This month we’re exploring a story of identical twins Grayce, a transgender girl, and Hawke, a cisgender boy, who have to flee from their home when their cousin stages a coup on the kingdom and kills the rest of their family. Desperation and chance lead them to the Communion of Blue, an order of magical women who spin the threads of reality to their will.
As the twins learn more about the Communion and themselves, they begin to hatch a plan to avenge their family and retake their royal home. While Hawke wants to return to his old life, Grayce struggles to keep the threads of her new life from unraveling, and realizes she wants to stay in the one place that will allow her to finally live as a girl.
About the Author
Artist, writer, lover of fine comics (and some pretty trashy ones too). Niki Smith’s work is joyously queer, and she is the author of the Lambda Literary Award-nominated graphic novels The Deep & Dark Blue and Crossplay. Her book The Golden Hour, was a Kirkus, SLJ, and NYPL Best Book of 2021. Her newest book, Sea Legs, is a collaboration with Jules Bakes and has received glowing reviews. When she’s not making graphic novels, she’s collecting embroidery hoops and mini-comics and learning to draw boats. Niki now lives in Munich, Germany with her wife and two bilingual cats.
On This Date: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). While the document did not specifically mention LGBTQ+ rights, it laid the foundation for human rights globally, and LGBTQ+ activists have often cited it in their struggles for equality, freedom, and dignity. It has become a key part of global advocacy for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
SALT LAKE CITY ARTS: THEATER
WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL: TEN BRAVE SECONDS
We’re proud to partner with Pioneer Theatre Company to help spread the word about the world premiere of Ten Brave Seconds, running January 30–February 14, 2026.
This heartfelt new musical follows one young person, one family, and one community on a life-changing day—when a long-held secret comes to light and everyone must choose courage, compassion, and connection. With pop-infused music and a story rooted in authenticity, Ten Brave Seconds beautifully captures what it means to step out of the shadows and into truth.
As an organization dedicated to uplifting LGBTQ+ youth and celebrating stories of bravery, this partnership aligns deeply with our mission. We encourage our community to experience this powerful new work and support local art that inspires understanding and hope.
November Awareness Days
DECEMBER 1ST World AIDS Day
DECEMBER 3RD International Day of Persons with Disabilities
DECEMBER 8TH Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day
DECEMBER 10TH Human Rights Day
