Trennie Collins (she/her) is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and a part of the LBGTQ+ Community. Collins was raised in Ignacio, CO. She is determined to make her community healthy and educated about LGBTQ+ issues. Collins is the co-founder of Southwest Rainbow Youth, which places emphasis on education, awareness, and support for LGBTQ+ youth in the local Ignacio community. She has also recently co-founded Ignacio Out & Equal Alliance, for overall community and whole family support. These organizations collectively drive essential health initiatives never before seen in this region.
As an Indigenous woman, Collins also engages in social justice movements in the hopes of bringing BIPOC voices to the forefront, and to directly impact Native Country. She has been instrumental in food support systems creation, culturally specific elder care, and a larger mutual aid network for her community. Collins is committed to making a positive impact on her hometown and strives to be the driving force for a strong resilient community.
“For me it really is just giving back to the community that I love. My Nuchu people have been on these lands since the beginning. Giving thanks to everything and everyone that came before me and everything that’s yet to come is super important to me. Our ancestors went through struggles we can’t even imagine so that I (we) can be here today. I want to give thanks to them and make them proud of who I am and who I’m becoming.”
“First, thank you to my ancestors who lived and fought for me to be here today. I am honored to have been selected, and I am looking forward to working and learning from other beautiful BIPOC leaders. I look forward to doing the work and translating it into positive forward movement for my community and for my people.”