Cards for celebrating the parents, caregivers, and other important people
in the lives of kids in LGBTQ families.
In 2010, the LGBTQ Parenting Network released a series of cards created for kids in LGBTQ families, to recognize and celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of our families. “I ♥ ” cards were designed to be used as a practical tool for talking about LGBTQ family issues in schools.
Illustration: Suzy Malik. Illustration: Aries Cheung llustration: Maurice Vellekoop
The philosophy behind these cards was as follows:
♥ LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) families are awesome! They come in many shapes and sizes; some have more than one mom or dad, some have none, and, hey, some have a whole team!
♥ LGBTQ families need new ways to celebrate and recognize the special people in their lives on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or any day that celebrates family and the people that are part of your family!
Illustrated by local artists (Aries Cheung, Willow Dawson, Suzy Malik, Vajdon Sohaili, and Maurice Vellekoop), each card is unique!
CHECK OUT ALL 7 CARDS HERE!
Thanks to all the amazing friends and family that came to visit us for the launch of our I Heart My LGBTQ Family cards! It was great to see you all! Special thanks to musical guests Pink Moth and Secret Trial Five, and to Jerry for sharing his fabulous "Circle Time" skills with us all. Of course we are also grateful to Chris Reed and the peeps of Small Print Toronto.
(L to R: Vajdon, Suzy, Maurice, Willow and Mariko. At the mic, Rachel.)
P.S. Stay tuned for more writing workshops!
Willow Dawson graduated with honors from the Ontario College of Art and Design and works as an illustrator and cartoonist for various clients including YWCA Canada, Owl Magazine, Kids Can Press, Top Shelf Comics, Filmblanc, Shameless Magazine, Broken Pencil Magazine, Sumach Press, Kiss Machine, Strange Horizons, and Tightrope Books. Willow is the illustrator of award-winning graphic novels: No Girls Allowed with Susan Hughes (Kids Can Press) and Violet Miranda: Girl Pirate with Emily Pohl-Weary (Kiss Machine), and, most recently, [insert title] (Kids Can Press).
Suzy Malik is a Toronto based artist who is motivated by the powerful pairings of pictures and words. Likely sparked by comic books, this passion lead to the study of New Media and landed Malik in the wonderfully diverse world of Illustration and Graphic Design.
Vajdon Sohaili is of Persian descent but was raised in Zimbabwe. Vajdon moved to Toronto from Los Angeles in 2005 with his partner Thom. He has been an actor, a writer, and an artist. This fall, he goes back to school to study Art History. He recently committed Facebook suicide, and can't tell you how great it feels.
Maurice Vellekoop's editorial clients include The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vogue, Rolling Stone, Glamour, Wallpaper, Out, Entertainment Weekly, Mother Jones, Saturday Night, Cosmetics and Fashion. Advertising clients range from Spotco, LVMH, Abercrombie and Fitch, Smart Car and Pink Triangle Press to, most recently, Murale, a brand new chain of cosmetics stores. Maurice's book publishing clients include Running Press, Harper Collins and Universe/Rizzoli. His work has appeared in American Illustration and was included in "Stylishly Drawn" by Laird Borrelli, a book on contemporary fashion illustration published by Harry N. Abrams. Maurice is the author/illustrator of 4 books of his own work with Drawn and Quarterly and Green Candy Press. His work has been shown numerous times at the Reactor Gallery in Toronto, the Mayor gallery in London and in a traveling group show called "New Pop" that stopped at the Palazzo Fortuny in Venice.
