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Rainbow Rose Center fosters an environment of inclusion, equity, and health where all LGBTQIA+ community members thrive in York and Adams counties. We envision an inclusive community where all individuals of York and Adams counties feel safe and welcome in their everyday lives.

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  • Anonymous

    The Rainbow Rose gave me a voice as an LGBTQ+ youth when I felt very alone and was confused about my identity. Through volunteering, I felt connected to my community and I’ve met other people my age apart of the community who have become important in my life. Without the rainbow rose, I wouldn’t have these valuable connections and I’d still feel alone.

  • Nicole

    Rainbow Rose Center has given me a community where I can be my authentic self and feel seen. This community has been accepting of who I am and I can show up unmasked and be welcomed with kindness.

  • Anonymous

    I was nervous about moving back to the area because I remembered the fear and embarrassment and othering I felt 15-20 years ago. Walking into Pride at the York Fairgrounds a few months later, I was blown away by how many members of the community showed up for us. Rainbow Rose Center created and fostered a welcoming, energized event that while unexpected, felt familiar. I've been grateful for the spaces they've built throughout York the rest of the year and met more of 'my people' through RRC than I'd thought were here. With the Center's backing, I feel empowered to help expand their warmth and resources so that our LGBTQIA+ folks here can embrace their lives more fully and safely than I felt I could in decades past.

  • Chrissy Tobias

    The Rainbow Rose Center is incredibly helpful! I contacted the RRC when I was helping my niece through the process of changing her name to align with her gender identity. They offered amazing advice that was invaluable to making this process much easier. Thank you to this incredible community resource!

  • Anonymous

    My therapist recommended coming to Rainbow Rose activities and I have never felt more seen since starting these groups! It is hard to find other people with LGBTQ+ Identities in York county sometimes, but Rainbow Rose allows for connections you may not get to have otherwise. Going to the young adult group, the art group, and other social activities have been really helpful for my mental health and have helped me open up socially! I have even looked into moderating a group recently! Thank you Rainbow Rose for all that you have done and continue to do!

July 16, 2026

An Internship In Review

byHunter Golder

As my internship with the Rainbow Rose Center comes to an end, my heart grows heavy with sadness. Thinking of all the experiences that are now behind me, I can’t help but feel empty, lost, even directionless. What will I do with my Sundays and Tuesdays now that I won’t be moderating teen support groups? Who will I make bracelets with, share stories with, laugh hysterically with? Where will I find such fuel and fulfillment? 

Luckily, there is something stronger in my heart than sadness—gratitude. During my time with the RRC, I enjoyed so many wonderful opportunities. As I discussed in a previous blog post, I got to attend my first-ever Pride this summer. I will never forget all the vendors, performers, and friendly participants who made my first experience so enjoyable. I also attended our Pride Pop-Off Party, where I sipped on a mocktail while watching drag queens own a parking lot like a runway. Then, there was the Hanover Snack Town Street Fair. Where else can you buy shawarma and lawn ornaments while learning about all the many programs the RRC has to offer? 

Of course, the heart and soul of my internship was the weekly teen groups I had the pleasure of co-moderating. Over the course of these past two months, these young people have opened their hearts and minds to me in ways I couldn’t have expected or hoped for. I feel unbelievably grateful that they felt comfortable enough to share their stories, their talents, and a fraction of their lives with me. As much as I might hate to admit it, I’ll even miss their inappropriate jokes, smart-alecky comments, and shrill screams. They represent the optimistic future I choose to believe in, even when all hope seems lost.

I suppose the best part of my internship is that it doesn’t have to be over. These groups won’t end just because I’m no longer moderating them. They will continue as long as the Rainbow Rose Center continues to do the important work that it does. I know I’ll keep making guest appearances from time to time. So, why don’t you do the same?

If you’ve ever considered volunteering or interning for a nonprofit organization, look no further than the Rainbow Rose Center. You’ll meet the kindest, funniest, quirkiest people you could ever hope to meet. You’ll find that slice of community that you’ve been missing and make all kinds of memories worth making. So, send the RRC that email you’ve been meaning to send. Get involved and make a difference. 

Thank you, Christina Wingert, for offering me this internship opportunity. Thank you, Natasha Swiger, for keeping all balls in the air at all times. Thank you, Ty and River, for leading these groups alongside me. And special thanks to my mom and boyfriend, who both took my internship as an opportunity to get involved themselves.

It has been my absolute pleasure to write these blog posts for you all. Thank you for taking the time to read them, engage with them, and reflect on them. Make sure to keep reading The Rainbow Connection and checking out our Event Calendar to see all the exciting things happening in the near future! No matter the event, I hope to see you all there!

Talk more soon,

Hunter

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