2012

Gina Crivello blogs about creating a GSA club for a high school in American Fork, UT.

Meg Hendrix blogs that she had always been a mother bear but when her 13-year-old son Jon came out she became a "mama dragon".

“I have always been a mother bear. Once I found out about Jon, that didn’t seem a fierce enough title. There is a whole new level of protection that has come over me. I now call myself a Mama Dragon."

2013

A private Facebook Messenger thread is started by Gina Crivello in search of support for one of her GSA students. Adopting the name from Meg's blog, the group calls themselves the Mama Dragons.

(Members of this group include mothers Sara Cook, Nancy Meyers, Leslie Cordon, Liz Deane, Wendy Montgomery, Jill Rowe, Meg Hendrix, Yvette Zobell, Diane Oviatt, Vicki Johnson, Christy Florence, Christy Beach, Neca Allgood, and Hollie Hancock.)

December

mama dragons begins

2014

JANUARY

The first Facebook group starts and is titled Mama Dragon Council (MDC-Secret).

May-July

Mama Dragons begins meeting in small groups locally and tabling at events including the Salt Lake City Pride Festival.

2015

MAY

Jill Rowe organizes the first Mama Dragons Retreat.

News article about Mama Dragons is published in the Salt Lake Tribune drastically increasing requests to join Mama Dragons.

Jen Blair creates an additional Facebook group named“Mama Dragon Council” (now called Mama Dragons Main Group) as knowing someone personally for admittance in the MDC secret group wasn’t maintainable. The two groups run side by side.

DECEMBER

Mama Dragons creates subgroup for Spanish speaking Mothers called Madres Dragones.

Mama Dragons' first Facebook Regional Groups are set up in
Utah & Washington areas.

OCTOBER

2016

JULY

Mama Dragons launches official logo and the first mission statement is developed and adopted, representing courage, protection, and love.

SEPTEMBER

36 Mama Dragons gather at the annual Mama Dragons retreat in Heber, UT.

october

Mama Dragons is awarded Equality Utah, Ally of the Year.

NOVEMBER

MEMBERSHIP REACHES

1,000

MARCH

Neca Allgood is selected as the first Mama Dragons President and drafts the first organization bylaws.

2016 Equality Award October_edited_edited.jpg

Kimberly Anderson self publishes the Mama Dragon Story Project, a photo journal project that features twenty mothers who share essays of love and support to their LGBT+ children.

Julie Turnbull is elected to serve as President-Elect serving beside Neca Allgood as President of Mama Dragons.

Mama dragons HISTORY timeline

Mama Dragons was created by Gina Crivello when she gathered a small group of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) mothers together as they navigated supporting their LGBTQ children in a culture that was not affirming. Since then Mama Dragons has grown to become a leader in affirming parent education and offers support to more than 9,000 members worldwide.

2017

August

Mama Dragons participates on stage at first annual LOVELOUD concert in UT, a new foundation founded by Dan Reynolds, lead singer of Imagine Dragons.

Mama Dragons shortens its mission statement to “We are a supportive group of mothers. We are shelter for one another’s children. We are champions of faith, family and LGBTQIA communities. We are sisters. We are Mama Dragons."

2018

Mama Dragons™ trademarks name and new logo.

MAY

FEBRUARY

Mama Dragons holds its first Leadership Summit in St George, UT.

JANUARY

JulieTurnbull serves as Mama Dragons President and Wendy VonSosen is elected as Mama Dragons President-Elect.

Mama Dragons Board of Directors clarifies Mama Dragons is not intended to be an LGBTQ support group or allies group, but instead it is a support group for mothers of LGBTQ children intended to help build affirming mother allies.

Mama Dragons QPR certified trainers begin offering Mama Dragons' members QPR suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings.

March

After weeks of work stemming from the first leadership summit, Mama Dragons reveals new mission and vision statements.

We support, educate, and empower mothers of LGBTQ children.

MISSION:

VISION:

We envision a world in which all mothers fiercely love and advocate for their LGBTQ children.

JUNE

Mama Dragons becomes an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, governed by its new mission statement.

September

Paper Hugs program originates after Mama Dragons member Lindsay Kinman's child received cards of encouragement. She collects names of Mamas' LGBTQ children who could use a little lift by receiving cards/notes in the mail.

2019

Mama Dragons
is featured in
Oprah Magazine.

MAY

JANUARY

Wendy VonSosen serves as Mama Dragons President, Lisa Dame is elected as Mama Dragons President-Elect, and Julie Turnbull serves as Mama Dragons Treasurer.