save the date for kin•dom camp Texas 2025: July 20-25

In summer 2024, we hosted kin•dom camp in 3 locations - Illinois, Nevada, and Texas. Our Texas location is about 3 hours outside of the DFW area - we don't give the exact location until your camper has been registered or you have been hired onto our camp staff. Read below for more information on our partner locations. 

The word “kin•dom” offers a new way of imagining the full inclusion and belonging of all people. It is a word that offers an alternative to "kingdom" and allows a more expansive view of how we are all connected. It moves beyond dynamics of power and oppression, and invites us all to see the ways we are interconnected and made better together. The word was originally brought forth by theologian Ada María Isasi-Díaz, who used the word to speak about the liberation that is intended for all people. This camp is a direct part of kin•dom community, and there is no greater vision we can imagine for LBGTQIA+ youth than for them to know that they belong, that they are loved, and that they are free and safe to be their whole selves.

Now more than ever, LGBTQIA+ youth are in need of unconditional love and acceptance. kin•dom camp will be a week for LGBTQIA+ youth to experience belonging and affirmation. The week will include plenty of "traditional" camp activities and recreation, plus some specialized programming to incorporate activities and conversations around queer history, culture, and experiences.

All cabins and bathrooms at camp are de-gendered, or as we like to say, "liberated from the gender binary!" We do this so that no one, camper or staff, has to put themselves in a box that doesn’t align with who they are. 

In the main buildings, bathrooms are separated by campers & staff, meaning that all people under 18 use one bathroom and all people over 18 use a separate bathroom. In cabins, bathrooms are occupied one at a time. 

Yes! There is a large crossover in queerness and neurodivergence, and over half of our kin•dom campers are neurodiverse. We have a sensory room with fidgets, books, noise-canceling headphones, low lighting, and sensory-safe foods to serve as a space where campers can calm down and regroup. This room is accessible all day, and we have dedicated staff who monitor the sensory room and are able to de-escalate as needed. We also include fidgets in our camper backpacks that every camper receives at check-in.

Being an LGBTQ+ youth, particularly in Texas, is both scary and exhausting. As anti-trans and homophobic legislation increases, it becomes an increasingly high priority for us to have licensed mental health professionals on our camp staff.  These folks are available to your camper at all times for any reason that comes up. They do not serve as therapists, but can be there to listen, talk through issues, and navigate conflict.

While our partner sites are faith-based, they are fully committed to the work of kin•dom camp and to creating a safe environment for our campers. As a community, we recognize the pain and hurt that the church has caused LGBTQIA+ people. As part of our desire to dismantle prejudices in faith spaces and see this harm healed, campers have the opportunity to sign up for workshops and activities that may relate to faith and spirituality. Those conversations remain opt-in only; our camp-wide curriculum centers around the queer experience. Camp curriculums are rooted in shared beliefs, and we know that our common ground is a desire to be in queer-affirming community. There is no expectation of faith – the only thing we expect is a commitment to welcoming and celebrating everyone where they are, as they are.

We are always looking for fully-affirming adults to staff kin•dom camp! More information about volunteering at kin•dom camp will become available as we get closer to summer. 

If you're unable to attend camp, please consider sharing our social media posts and donating as you're able! The best ways to help with these camps are by talking about us and ensuring our ability to sustain camp financially. Thank you in advance for your support!