Join us for a Rainbow Read-In celebrating the writing, poetry, art, and music of LGBTQIA+ people worldwide!
The Rainbow Read-In is an event with a crowd-sourced program. We invite you to attend as a listener, or to attend as a presenter to read, perform or share the work of historic and contemporary LGBTQIA+ creators. Join us on Friday, October 10, 2025 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. The Rainbow Connections Fair will open at 2:00. Come to meet LGBTQIA+ organizations from UMKC and the community!
Participate as a Presenter
If you wish to be a presenter, you may read, perform, or share your own work if you identify with the LGBTQIA+ community. If you are an ally, and you would like to present, we ask that you share the work of an LGBTQIA+ creator. Sign up for the event by clicking the button below. If you check the option to be a Presenter, the Rainbow Read-In coordinator will contact you by email with more information. Contact Tracey Hughes with questions.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required to receive the secure meeting link. Joining us on Zoom will not require a Zoom account. First Semester Experience Credit is available for attending.
About the UMKC Libraries Rainbow Read-In
The African American Read-In was founded by Dr. Jerrie Cobb Scott, a member of the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English. The Caucus proposed the event in late 1989, and the first Read-In took place during Black History Month in 1990. Gloria Tibbs, a UMKC librarian until her retirement in 2021 and beloved mentor to many, founded the UMKC Libraries African American Read-In in 2010. The annual UMKC Libraries African American Read-In inspired our Rainbow Read-In, held during LGBT History Month each October.
