Nathan Kitchen
Nathan Kitchen has been elected to a second two-year term as president of Affirmation, with Jairo Fernando González Díaz and Rebecca Solen named as his choices for senior vice president and vice president, respectively.
Occasionally we come across a person who has had a lifetime impact with such a remarkable scope in the LGBTQ community and society in general. To recognize such a person and capture such an accomplishment, the Board of Directors of Affirmation has created a lifetime achievement award. This award, to remind us of the qualities for any other future recipients, we have named the Carol Lynn Pearson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nathan Kitchen, current president of Affirmation elected in 2018, was the only candidate to submit a statement by the September 11 deadline. He has nominated current Affirmation Vice President Jairo Fernando González Díaz to become senior vice president and Rebecca Solen as vice president.
Here at the start of Pride Month, we are reminded that horrific injustice still exists today and that such injustice is rooted in racism. We invite the Affirmation community to celebrate Pride this month by joining us in committing to equality, justice, and liberation.
The very first of our monthly virtual firesides! This month, we were thrilled to have former BYU Cosmo the Cougar Charlie Bird as our guest speaker with musical performances by West End leading lady Savannah Stevenson.
The need to stay connected has never been more important than it has been amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. From our chapters to the international organization, the Affirmation community is doing so much to meet this need in new ways that are likely to become a part of Affirmation for many years to come.
On May 5, 2020, Affirmation’s president, senior vice president, vice president, and director of operations hosted a live discussion about Affirmation as a nonprofit organization supporting the LGBTQIA+ Mormon community, how we’re staying connected in this time of COVID-19, and much more.
Nathan Kitchen is president of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ individuals and their families as they navigate the intersections they occupy in life, including the ways they interact with the Mormon church, whether they’re members or not. Kitchen, an alumnus of BYU, spoke with me to discuss the changes and ambiguity in the honor code, its impact on students, and what could instead be done to create a safer and more loving environment for LGBTQ individuals.
In times like these, community is so important. We know that there may be many in our community feeling anxious and isolated right now. We are blessed to be living in a time where we can continue to connect with others through various technological channels and that includes connecting with the Affirmation Community.