[reason 173] 13 flags

 
We always tell people who are trying to find us at Camp Calumet. that they'll have no problem telling which campsite is ours.

This year, we have thirteen flags hanging at our campsite - eleven pride flags, a Ukrainian flag, and a red white and blue flag that says a bunch of things about loving people and celebrating diversity.

One of my favorite things is listening to teens and young adults as they walk past our campsite, excited to se a flag or two that represents them. There was a particular moment last Summer that really stands out to me - a couple young adults were walking by and one of them exclaimed that they couldn't believe we had "[their] flag." The other person asked what the flag was, and after receiving a response, said they were glad the person felt safe sharing that with them and asked what pronouns they use. 

I witnessed other young people use our flag-filled site to gauge the acceptance level of their new friends by commenting on the flags and / or use them to inform others about their own identity. Some of them have stopped by to ask why we have so many flags. 

We have so many flags because they're us. We have so many flags because we want others to feel included and loved and seen. We have so many flags because no one stopped me.