Is Salt Lake City the Next Great Come Up For QPOC?

Aspiring country singers can dream of packing up their lives to try their luck in Nashville, theater hopefuls head up to the bright lights of New York City, and white gay men have flocked to the rainbow flags of San Francisco the since the end of World War II. Where do young queer people of color dream of going as the place they can belong?

Salt Lake City, Utah is a well-educated, progressive, blue city in the center of a deeply religious, racially homogenous, and mostly rural red state. What would it take to make SLC a destination town for young QPOC? Is it even possible?

This will sound crazy to some, but I believe it is not only possible, but already happening. Let me explain:

First, my chosen home already boasts many of the factors that draw young people of any ethnic origin or sexual identity to an area. Salt Lake is mid-sized, but growing, and undeniably beautiful city. The walkable downtown offers wide streets connected with light rail, charming historic architecture, vibrant bar scene, and many diverse offerings in culture, arts, music, and food. For example, just this week I watched a documentary about Pulitzer-awarded writer Alice Walker at a theater downtown, then headed across the street for a locally brewed beer, all within walking distance of my partner’s loft. Every type of ethnic food is available, along with at least 3 vegan bakeries, and many vegan/vegetarian options available at traditional restaurants. It’s an attractive, cheap, and fun place to live.

Along with leisure, the University of Utah is a major research university on the edge of downtown, and a highly educated population has attracted companies and abundant jobs in tech, finance, and government. In fact, the majority of POC I’ve met here relocated either for school or a job offer. Affordability is enticing as well; average rent is less than $1,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. My partner’s loft that I mentioned earlier overlooks a huge city park in the center of downtown for about that much, a price unimaginable in many other comparable cities.

Ironically, this trendy little city is also a famous as a gay haven. The Advocate, a gay white male centered magazine, named SLC the “Gayest City in America” in 2012. In 2015, the city elected it’s first lesbian-iidentified mayor. All of this in a beautiful mini-metropolis ringed by breathtaking mountain views, every imaginable option for outdoor adventure, and four spectacular seasons. As I’m writing this I realize how much I actually do love this town.

The good news about jobs, housing, and the mountain views seems to be getting out to other People of Color. POC made up 66% of the new population growth in the past year. Ironically, that might be the key to attracting more POC, and queer POC to Salt Lake: the knowledge that there is already a community here.

In June 2015, in an effort to create that kind of community, I created a monthly event called QPOC Sunday Brunch. We started with 4 members at the first brunch, and has blossomed to a group of almost 100 in less than a year. The most common feedback I get about the group is “Thank God you started this!”. Many QPOC may enjoy all the amenities of the city, but still feel out of place in a city that is still overwhelmingly homogeneous. As Brunch continues to grow, along with other communities that meet the needs of queer-identified Black and brown people, Salt Lake has a legitimate chance of becoming that destination city I dream about. It’s getting better every month.