Wilco Iris is a student-led and adult-supported organization in Williamson County, Tennessee, just minutes from Nashville. Wilco Iris was formed in the fall of 2020 during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic as a branch of our former parent non-profit, Williamson Social Justice Alliance. We transitioned to our own 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in response to local students expressing a continued need for a supportive and encouraging space for LGBTQIA+ teenagers to meet, forge powerful friendships, and work together to help build an empowered and inclusive community.

 

Throughout our four years of existence, Wilco Iris has worked diligently to create a solid foundation for growth and opportunity among our participating youth. We have reached important milestones and connected with other seasoned LGBTQIA+ organizations to learn and implement engaging programming and experiences that honor the uniqueness of our students. While Wilco Iris started with just a handful of students and adult volunteers, we now have a robust Board of Directors, a formal Student Leadership Council, and a dedicated volunteer index. 

 

We are grateful to other local organizations, businesses, schools, and supporters who connected with us to aid our cause and advocate for this population. This community support has allowed Wilco Iris to hold monthly meetings and host/participate in social events such as Franklin Pride, Nashville Pride, and the Franklin Christmas Parade. We hosted over eighty students in 2022 at Williamson County’s first-ever inclusive prom and since then have continued to hold an annual prom, one of our student favorite events!  Our Student Leadership Council has also met with members of the Board of Williamson County Schools (WCS), superintendents, counselors, and administrators to share their personal experiences and suggest ways to improve the educational and cultural environment for queer students. We continue to work with school administration on ways to actively address bullying and other unique issues that our students face, such as the need for gender neutral bathrooms. We also continue to build out our Wilco Iris Library for queer and banned books, and look forward to our first Book Club meetings in the 2024-25 school year.

 

Wilco Iris continues to thrive, driven by the passion and dedication of its students and volunteers, with the goal of creating a positive impact for LGBTQIA+ youth in Williamson County.