Join queer men from all over the region in celebrating the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year and the day when the light begins to return. We will share great food, beverages, conversation, and a wonderful holiday sing-along with a talented pianist. Those of us who like to use this time of year to reflect & connect, we also invite you to share stories about things you are: 1) Grateful for, 2) Letting go of, 3) Welcoming New into your life.

If you are introverted or don't want to share or sing in front of a group, you can just listen and enjoy the bountiful food, drink, and opportunities to get to know your queer neighbors. Feel free to socialize in exactly the ways you enjoy and feel no pressure to participate in ways you don't enjoy.

“For many queer men, the holidays can sometimes be a challenging time because they may be estranged geographically or otherwise from their birth families while also not having as diverse a chosen family as they might want after the isolation of the COVID era and the divisiveness of this increasingly polarized and distracting time,” said Bart Church, Q-MoB’s Executive Director and one of the organizers of the Year-End Potluck. “We are therefore bringing the community together to share food, beverages, songs, and stories that will hopefully remind us of our strengths, connections, and rightful place in a strong, resilient community."

Q-MoB will also be doing a few brief video interviews in collaboration with the Berkshire Queer History Project during the potluck (in a private space downstairs away from the fun of the potluck) to document ways men in our community are turning anxiety, frustration, and/or hopelessness into empowering connections, actions, and stories about how we have successfully responded to challenging times in the past.

WHAT TO BRING:

• A dish and/or non-alcoholic beverage to share with about 6 other people. Please make a small sign for your dish that discloses if it contains any of these common allergens/restrictions: dairy, gluten, eggs, meat/chicken/fish, nuts/peanuts, MSG, preservatives, food colors, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, soy, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, etc. Please note that if bringing a dish &/or beverage is a barrier to your attending, you need not, as there will be sides, entrees, and beverages donated by Hannaford.
• $10-$20 Tax-Deductible Donation Paid Online, in cash, or check made out to "BSCC" (Q-MoB's 501(c)3 Non-Profit Fiscal Sponsor), or JOIN Q-MOB so you never have to donate at any regular Q-MoB event, or just come for FREE if this is the very 1st Q-MoB event you have ever attended
• Sturdy shoes, raincoat, & warm layer in case it is cold walking up the driveway or we get precipitation
• A willingness to share or reflect on things you are 1) grateful for, 2) ready to let go of, 3) want to welcom into your life in 2025. If sharing is a barrier for you, you need not. Listening, eating, drinking and just chatting are wonderful ways to get to know men and casually let them get to know you.
• Other queer men who may be longing for warm connections, great food, and/or to get out of the house during the holidays to meet some interesting new people.

PARKING: Please park along the same side of the gravel road as the house is on, and make sure not to block traffic.

VIDEO PROJECT: Q-MoB is making short films in collaboration with the Berkshire Queer History Project and filmaker Richard Doyle about the ways men in our communijty are turning their frustration, anxiety, or hopelessness into empowering actions, connections, and stories about how our community has successfully responded to major challenges in the past, such as --

• The Pink Scare firings of tens of thousands of queer people in the 50s & 60s & the gay liberation movement it inspired
• The genocidal neglect by the government in the AIDS era and our victories in geting the Americans with Disabilities Act amended to include people with communicable diseases, and our expediting of successful drug trials that saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and the appropriation of millions of dollars to research on retro viruses, vaccines, and new treatments
• The Don't Ask/Don't Tell Era that we transformed into the end of military discrimination and witch hunts & serving openly and proudly.
• The long fight for Marriage Equality that has led to equality in all 50 states

There will be a sign up sheet at the potluck if you would like to participate in a brief video interview, and we'll be asking the 3 questions of this potluck, and/or these 3 questions related to the rise of anti-gay violence and legislation by the MAGA movement:

1. What are you most worried about as MAGA takes control of all 3 branches of the federal government?
2. In the past how have you turned anxiety into effective action?
3. What could the Q-MoB community do to support & empower you & others who may feel anxious, frustrated, or hopeless, and want to figure out effective action?

Don't feel pressured to be intereviewed or to share anything. We want you to feel comfortable, have fun, and feel at ease gently getting to know new & old friends.

CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: Carpooling is a great way to get to know other people, save money on gas, and help to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet. If you need a ride or are open to carpooling with people who live near you, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.

MORE INFO: If you will be late, have trouble finding us, or decide to cancel, please call/text one of our cohosts: Steve at 323-363-6527 or Bill at 310-351-1640