Then and Now, a Year of Virtual Organizing

March 2020 we had to make the last minute decision to move our second annual Healthy and Thriving panel to a virtual setting. The irony that would have been “Spreading a deadly virus at a panel on Bi health” was not lost on us, and Atlanta’s ban on large gatherings sealed the deal. Back then we were reading up on daily updates, keeping up with the day-by-day changes. Gatherings of 50 or more banned. Then 10 or more.

Now it’s all become so normal that I couldn’t even tell you if we still have a ban, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. To say it’s been a strange and difficult year would be underselling it, and really, you don’t need me to tell you that- you’ve been living through it. At the end of this one year mark, it sometimes seems like the last 12 months just bleed together.

Sometimes I think we all need a good reminder that this isn’t forever, that the ways we met before happened and will happen again, and that the ways we’ve been connecting and organizing virtually are just as important. 

Despite not having met in person in over a year, we’ve had game nights and art sharing events and celebrations of the Bi/Pan+ Community we’ve built. Things won’t be the same when we can finally meet again- our old meeting spot at The Bakery no longer exists, and questions on how to balance accessibility with in-person/virtual organizing will have to be grappled with. 

Until then, here’s a look back at how far we’ve come:

Our Black History Month movie screening and panel discussion “In Vibrant Color” was the last time we met in person, just over 2 weeks before the awareness of COVID really hit us.

5 people sitting on chairs on a stage. A movie projector screen covers the wall behind them.

On March 19th 2020 we announced our Healthy and Thriving event, just 10 days away, would be moving to a virtual setting. It would be our last event until June 2020, as we all adjusted to our new normal. 

A graphic reading “2nd Annual Bi+ Georgia: Healthy and Thriving. An online bisexual health awareness month panel. Online mental health panel @5pm EST featuring Candace Girod, James Capello, Lauren Beach, Victoria Leftridge. Moderated by Khafre Abif.

The setting has changed, but the meetings go on. The photo on the left shows our January 2020 meeting, not knowing what the new year would hold. 

-All of our general planning meetings are public and announced ahead of time on our website and social media.

A side-by-side of two images. The left image shows a large group of people sitting around 4 round tables. The right image shows them meeting in a zoom call.

Though most of our events were virtual, we found ways to make a handful of socially distant outdoor events work, with a limit on attendance and by keeping our picnic blankets far, far apart.

A photograph showing a grassy area in a park, where people are sitting on picnic blankets socially distant.

We weren’t able to march at Pride in 2020 (can’t participate in a parade that doesn’t exist!) but we can’t wait to do it again. This photo was taken in 2019, and despite the heavy rain and the exhaust smell from the GT trolley ahead of us in the parade, we marched and chanted down the street in high spirits.

A group of people standing in a Midtown street wearing matching Bi+ Georgia shirts. They’re holding a large banner with the same logo on it.

Whether in person or virtually, we hope to see you all again! More virtual events have already been planned for this year, and we’ll be announcing them soon here and on our website. 

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-Isabelle, Board Secretary