PFLAG Norman Chapter President’s Letter.

Chapter’s President Letter

October 1st, 2025

Dear Friends and Family of PFLAG Norman,

‍Thank you for your support during the 2024–25 fiscal year. Because of you, we continue our mission of advocacy, education, and support—always leading with love.

This past year has not been easy. Harmful state bills, elected officials, and media voices have targeted our trans family, members, and allies, while bans on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have created new barriers. Yet, even in these challenges, we’ve seen incredible strength and love. The people of Norman and surrounding communities have stood with us, showing up at meetings, offering words of encouragement, and giving generously at events.

Our monthly meetings have remained strong and diverse, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. This richness has inspired us to expand the ways we connect, offering both in-person and Zoom gatherings to ensure everyone can access the support they deserve.

Here are some accomplishments this year:

Advocacy
This year we’ve stayed busy with over 26 community events. We proudly marched in three Pride parades, joined local celebrations, hosted five PFLAG events, and staffed outreach booths across Norman and Cleveland County, sharing resources and building new connections.

We also focused on equipping our community to face anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Our website offers civic engagement guides, state legislation resources, and tools for voter registration and participation, helping ensure our voices are heard at every level.

Education
We hosted special guest speakers who shared expertise and answered questions. This year’s presenters included organizations such as Free Mom Hugs and Diversity Family Health, as well as other advocates and professionals that attend our support meetings. We also provided LGBTQIA2S+ education to four organizations and companies that reached out for training, helping spread awareness and build inclusivity beyond our membership.

Support
Our monthly one-hour support meetings continue to draw participants from Norman and nearby towns. After facing accessibility challenges at the Norman East Library, we moved to The Well in Downtown Norman, which has quickly become a welcoming hub for both longtime members and newcomers.

We’re also proud to have launched a Satellite Support Group in Midwest City. Meeting every second Tuesday from 7–8 p.m. at the Midwest City Library (Room B) at 8143 E Reno Ave, Oklahoma City, this new group helps us reach even more families, friends, and allies across central Oklahoma.

Other Notes
We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our supporters, donors, affirming churches, and yearly contributors. Because of you, we distributed hundreds more LGBTQ+ booklets than last year, along with flags, educational resources, and supportive items to help everyone feel seen and valued.

To ensure safer online engagement, we closed our Twitter account due to harmful policies and moved to BlueSky, a platform that better protects against hate speech and reflects our values.

PFLAG Norman also continues to be recognized by PFLAG National for our strong community outreach, visible booth presence, and the tireless dedication of our volunteer board members.

Scholarship
Thanks to your contributions, we were able to increase the Harrington Scholarship from $3,000 to $5,000 this year. The 2024 recipient, James Quinn Keys, has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of personal adversity while continuing to support others and envision a brighter future for themselves and our country. We are incredibly proud of James and excited to support their higher education journey as part of our LGBTQIA2S+ community.

In conclusion, it is thanks to you, your donations, membership, concerns, and thoughtful comments, that we have been able to grow beyond what we’ve accomplished in past years. Your support empowers us to plan more meaningful events, expand educational opportunities, and strengthen our advocacy efforts in this new fiscal year.

This month, we invite you to renew your membership. If you haven’t yet become a member, we warmly encourage you to join us. Together, we can continue advancing our mission and making a positive impact in the Norman community, across Cleveland County and now Midwest City.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2025 and into 2026, your involvement is essential. Please visit PFLAGNorman.org and click on Membership Drive to join, renew, or donate. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and commitment to advocacy, education, and support.

Lastly, we are looking for the next leader for PFALG Norman. We need to fill our Vice President spot with a volunteer that is willing to take the torch once our President steps down, that loves and cares for this community and its allies.  If you are interested, please email us at NormanPFLAG@gmail.com

And always remember: to Lead with Love means we do it together, with you.

Sincerely,

Jerry Arias-Watson

Chapter President for PFLAG Norman.