Building Belonging Community Panel
As part of our Building Belonging series, this community panel will bring together LGBTQ+ leaders, employees, and business owners to explore the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities within the Greater Lowell area.
This session is designed to center lived experiences and foster meaningful dialogue around what inclusion looks like at the local level. Participants will hear directly from panelists about their personal and professional journeys, the realities facing LGBTQ+ individuals in workplaces and communities, and the role businesses can play in creating more welcoming and supportive environments.
Attendees can expect a one hour discussion followed by lunch and networking.
The conversation will be moderated by Alexandria Eberhardt, Executive Director of the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Panelists:
Matthew Page-Shelton (he/him) is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Chief Executive Officer of Front-Line Community Services, an LGBTQIA+ owned and operated behavioral health company. He brings experience as a holistic therapist and crisis clinician to his work serving LGBTQIA+ communities and supporting the development of programs that improve quality of life. Matthew also serves as Mental Health Task Force Chair and Steering Committee Chair for the Greater Lowell Health Alliance. As a Lowell native, he is deeply committed to expanding access to care in the region.
Laura Lamarre Anderson (she/her) is the managing owner of lala books in downtown Lowell, which she runs alongside her husband Greg and daughter Thea. Since opening, lala books has been intentionally designed as a welcoming third space where community members can gather, connect, and discover new ideas. Laura, a Lowell native and graduate of Lowell High School and UMass Lowell, leads events programming, collaborates with local authors and nonprofits, and draws on her background in education to curate the children’s section and coordinate school book fairs.
Kaye M. H. Crawford (they/them) is a third-generation Dracut resident, professional writer, local librarian, and co-founder of the grassroots nonprofit Rainbow Dracuteers. As a queer community member with deep ties to the Greater Lowell area, Kaye works to support LGBTQIA2S+ neighbors through local programming, independent journalism, and community education. They live in Dracut with their spouse and co-founder, Patrick, and their two cats, Niko and Dinah.
Thank you to Greater Lowell Community Foundation and Revolutionary Valley for supporting this series.