Quad Citians Affirming Diversity (QCAD) brings Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight Allies together to build an inclusive community through support, education and advocacy.
Advocacy
Anti-Bullying
The Quad City Collaborative for a Bully Free Community is a broad-based community group committed to increasing public awareness on bullying—what it is, its effects, and how it can be stopped. The collaborative will, through education, increase public awareness about bullying behavior and implement strategies to create a safe, bully free community. To achieve this, the Collaborative will do the following:
- Coordinate a community-wide public awareness and media campaign called "Take a Stand, Lend a Hand!"
- Provide speakers who will present strategies on how to become a bully free community.
- Support school and community anti-bullying programs.
- Act as a referral for families, schools, and the community providing access to information on anti-bullying strategies, programs, and literature.
- Engage community leaders in implementing systemic efforts to prevent bullying behavior in our schools and community.
Recent legislation in both Iowa and Illinois requires schools to address bullying behavior:
Illinois: 105 ILCS 5/27 - 23.7
Iowa: IA 280.12, 280.28
Breaking the Silence
The Breaking the Silence project aims to build a greater understanding and acceptance of gay and lesbian seniors among social service caregivers who work with LGBT seniors. This project is designed, through the training of caregivers, to advance equality for LGBT seniors and create a community culture of acceptance and inclusiveness.
Religious Concerns
We are clergy from many faiths:
- Convinced of God's unconditional love for all people
- Raising a voice against religious intolerance that promotes condemnation, discrimination, and hatred
- Advocating justice for all including Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered persons.
The time has come to share our faith perspective on the issue of sexual minorities. Political and religious rhetoric condemning gay and lesbian people has monopolized the public perception of the stance of religious people on this issue. We soundly disagree with these views of condemnation and judgment and are here to offer a faithful alternative.
We believe that our LGBT brothers and sisters are entitled to a complete and full life. We are convinced of God's unconditional love and acceptance of all people. We therefore welcome sexual minorities, as we welcome all people, into our communities, organizations and places of worship.