LGBTQ+ Alums Form Affinity Group
As many will attest, one of the most special parts of Potomac is its alumni community. Scattered from coast to coast and even across different continents, Potomac alumni carry the spirit of our school with them wherever they go and are connected to one another through their shared experience.
In an effort to further strengthen bonds within this community, a group of Potomac’s LGBTQ+ alumni have formed the alumni community’s first-ever affinity group: The Panther Pride Alumni Network (PPA Network). Its mission is to foster connections within the LGBTQ+ alumni community and cultivate a space for an inclusive, safe, and supportive social and professional network.
The PPA Network’s charter states that the group seeks “to provide a place for LGBTQ+ Potomac alumni to connect or reconnect to one another in a respectful, safe, and inclusive environment.” Through the efforts of the group’s founding leadership board -- with support from the Alumni Governing Council’s DEI Committee and Potomac’s Alumni Office -- the affinity group was created by and for Potomac alumni and will continue to be governed and led by alumni. This means that the group functions independently of Potomac and welcomes members to join this supportive space with any desired level of participation, regardless of their connection to Potomac itself.
We spoke with the group’s founding leadership board members to hear about their efforts thus far.
What inspired your leadership board to start the PPA Network?
"It’s fascinating to see where life takes Potomac alumni. I’m still close with many Potomac friends, and sharing news about our classmates when we get together is a not-so-guilty pleasure. I really enjoy hearing how folks have learned about and grown into themselves, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community. Passion, Lane, our fourth founding member, and I wondered what getting that community together would look like. So, this group is for alumni brought together by common experience to make personal and professional connections.
Friends have asked us why we created this group specifically for high school alumni, when similar affinity groups are most often at the college or even post-grad level ('Isn’t it just another group to keep track of?'), so I’ll also admit to a more personal reason for my investment in this group: young alumni. As a teen, I was immensely lucky to benefit from the incredible support of Potomac, my family, and my broader community, but I was also constantly and quietly struggling to know, understand, and accept myself. Imagine the positive influence in seeing a group of Potomac alumni of all identities living authentically across places and professions! If this network can be a resource for even one young alum on that same path to self-acceptance, then it’s absolutely worth it."
- Todd Langstaff ’08
How can alumni join the PPA Network? And what does their membership entail?
"First, alumni should reach out to the Panther Pride Alumni Network leadership team via email for more information on joining the organization. The leadership team will respond with a request to fill out our membership survey. This survey helps us to know how you identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community and how we can further contact you. Finally, after filling out the membership survey, feel free to join our Facebook group. This group will keep you informed of all updates and happenings.
Being a member entails as much or as little as you would like for it to! We are dedicated to providing a safe space for networking, events, and discussions relevant to our community. Membership is also an opportunity to further determine how we grow."
- Passion Rutledge ’06
What is the leadership board looking forward to most for the network?
"As the PPA Network’s community grows, there are so many exciting opportunities we're looking forward to. Following a successful launch in June, the team is working to put together a database for members of the network to make connections with one another -- whether it be for seeking out other Potomac alums in a new city or making a professional contact in the same industry. We are also excited for the development and first installment of our newsletter later this year, the goal of which is to connect members of the PPA Network through a different medium than just social media -- there are so many different ways that people connect, and we want to be able to provide that opportunity to everyone. The newsletter will be a way to build and strengthen our ties, providing a space to let everyone keep up with what’s going on in their community, while also sharing what’s important to them! We’re so excited to see what everyone is up to."
- Lane Ebrill ’07
Follow the Panther Pride Alumni Network on Instagram!