When we think about Queerlective’s work within a social change ecosystem, it’s essential that we understand not only the context in which we operate, but also the scope of the systems we aim to influence. Social change doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it happens through interconnected actions, relationships, and shifts at multiple levels: local, statewide, and national.

Locally: Building Belonging and Empowerment

At the local level, our home base at CoLab in Manchester and the surrounding communities we engage through art installations, pride events, and grassroots gatherings are where Queerlective’s impact is most immediate. Here, we create spaces that foster belonging, visibility, and connection especially for queer, trans, BIPOC, and disabled individuals who are too often isolated or pushed to the margins.

This is where our work begins: in neighborhoods and public spaces, through workshops and murals, at open mics and mutual aid meetups. We believe that building a community where people feel seen and heard is the first step toward building a movement.

Statewide: Disrupting Systems That Harm Us

Zooming out, our work exists within the larger ecosystem of New Hampshire, a state where legislation, political culture, and access to resources have a profound impact on the lives of our communities. Queerlective’s projects serve not just as art or gatherings, but as strategic interventions, making space for conversations that aren’t being had elsewhere, shifting narratives, and increasing access to resources and representation.

In coalition with other grassroots organizations, we contribute to shifting statewide systems that perpetuate oppression. Whether it’s through zine workshops that build political awareness, or storytelling that highlights the lived realities of queer and BIPOC communities, our work helps shape a broader cultural and civic shift.

Nationally: Shifting the Narrative and the Scales

New Hampshire plays an outsized role in national politics and that makes our work nationally significant. In a state where resistance to progress is both vocal and well-funded, every win for our communities resonates far beyond our borders. Whether we’re influencing the tone of local elections or helping to build a more resilient and joyful culture in a swing state, Queerlective is contributing to a national movement for progress, justice, and equity.

Our projects help push the national conversation forward not only through policy or protest, but through art, culture, and storytelling that remind us what we’re fighting for.

Why This Matters

When people ask why Queerlective’s work matters, we point to the ecosystem. We are one part of a larger system, a vital piece of a movement that is greater than the sum of its parts. And in systems change, every piece matters.

We aren’t just painting murals or hosting events. We’re building culture, connection, and infrastructure for liberation. We’re empowering people to participate in civic life, to claim space, and to imagine a better future. That is social change from the ground up and across every level.

This is why supporting our work matters.
Because when we build community here, we help shift the landscape everywhere.