Page 18 - BEQ Magazine Iss 23 FINAL v3

EVERYWHERE
EVERYWHERE
NEW BUSINESS ORDER

IS QUEER
IS QUEER

Mapping LGBTQ-Owned

Businesses Around the World

By RYANN BROOKS

hree years ago, Charlie Sprinkman adult influences in my life,” he said. “What I hope and
(he/they) was traveling the United what this means to me is giving spaces for people that
aren’t even out. I think a lot about our youth, but also
T States for a job with a large organic adults who just maybe will find a queer-owned sand-

beverage company, searching for queer wich spot or coffee shop where they can sit and just
hangouts in the 42 states he visited. The see queer people driving, working, having a career.”
Maybe, he said, he can help someone see other
results were often nonexistent. In January,
queer people existing.
Sprinkman took matters into his own hands Sprinkman wanted to recreate that feeling of
CHARLIE with the launch of “Everywhere is Queer” — camp, everyday. All around the world. Driving back
SPRINKMAN, to Colorado, the name “Everywhere is Queer” popped
Creator of an online directory of LGBTQ+-owned busi- into his head.
Everywhere is nesses around the world. “I pulled over and I was just Googling and trying
Queer
to find something on my phone, going through all of
“Last summer, in July ‘21, I went and volunteered the Google pages just to find this idea of a worldwide
at Camp Brave Trails, a queer leadership camp for map of queer spaces,” he said. “I couldn’t find any-
12-18 year olds,” Sprinkman told BEQ Pride this thing. All I could find was articles to ‘support these
month. “I left that space, … and I was like, ‘Wow, that eight queer-owned businesses.’”
was so amazing.’ No one made any comments about Sprinkman continued the search from home,
my voice and I’d never felt so comfortable.” hoping it would be easier to locate something from a
For Sprinkman, the camp was a bastion of inclu- computer. Still, a database or list didn’t exist.
sion. The type of space that many long for, and “I said, ‘I’m gonna try to build something,’”
brought with it the sense of belonging that he never Sprinkman said. “I just came up with exactly what
had growing up in Wisconsin. Everywhere is Queer is today.”
“I truly did not have any other queer people or … Launched on January 2, Everywhere is Queer has

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