Felix Bermea, his partner Roy, and their four children have been harassed in their hometown of Gilbert, Arizona for almost three months. It started with epithets scrawled on their house and car, led to someone setting their bushes on fire, and has escalated to a home break-in and vandalization of the children’s furniture. The children are afraid, and the parents are afraid for them. Now, the Family Equality Council wants to do the family a kindness and send them, free of charge, to the organization’s annual Family Week in Provincetown. But they need our help.
They explain:
Family Week will be a safe, affirming environment for the Bermea family to get away from their troubles briefly and spend some quality time with families just like theirs.
Nobody should have to deal with what this family has gone through, and it’s time we did something to make it just a little bit better.
Family Equality has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the Bermea’s trip, which will include roundtrip airfare for six, ferry tickets, and ground transportation, as well as housing, food, and travel supplies and other expenses.
At Family Week, the Bermeas can enjoy workshops, family activities, campfires, picnics, and movie nights, all with other welcoming LGBT families, culminating in a parade through the center of town for all attendees.
It won’t solve their problems at home, but it may help restore a bit of their faith in humanity.
Please help, if you can, with a donation of any amount, and help spread the word about the campaign. (Think about it: if you pack a few extra sandwiches for your own vacation, you can save a few bucks on overpriced food at the airport/rest stop, and donate it to this good cause instead.)