Shared Existence LLC

I wrote this a few months ago but it's been a SEASON for us, like many of you! Thank you Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce for all your advocacy and work for small business owners and LGBTQ+ community members across the state of Iowa.

https://www.iowalgbtqchamber.org/resources/blog/pivoting-with-purpose

We are excited to help plan and be part of this amazing day centering lived experiences. Please share with anyone who may be interested in attending some or all of the programming. Everyone is welcome!

(Follow St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids for additional event info)

🌈✨ New Drop: Wear the Message ✨🌈

Just in time for National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11th) — our newest shirts are here! For a limited time only, support our small business by purchasing one of two versions of this message:

👕 Queerly Beloved – For those standing proudly in your truth, knowing you are powerful, purposeful, and worthy of love.

👕 Beloved Community: You Belong Here – For affirming allies who want to show up and say out loud, “you are safe with me.”

💜 Free shipping + only available for the next couple weeks — order now to have yours in time for Coming Out Day! Please note, it can take 10-14 days to get your orders!

This isn’t just merch. Every shirt is a message of belonging, affirmation, and solidarity. And every purchase supports our mission at Shared Existence to center lived experiences and to foster spaces where everyone can thrive.

Did you know that Shared Existence LLC was the first woman-owned LGBTQ+ business in Iowa registered with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce✨

👉 Claim your shirt today and help us spread the message!

Queerly Beloved: https://shared-existence-llc.printify.me/product/23230266/queerly-beloved-unisex-softstyle-t-shirt

Beloved Community (Ally): https://shared-existence-llc.printify.me/product/23059801/beloved-community-lgbtq-ally-softstyle-t-shirt

🌿 NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🌿

I had the honor of sitting down with my dear friend Krista from Ottumwa, Iowa… a leader, an advocate, and now a three-time author to talk about her new book Prevailing Purpose, which officially launches this Sunday alongside her 35th birthday celebration. 🎉

Krista (writing under the name K. Buehler, in a powerful reclaiming of her family name) has quietly changed so many lives—walking with people through their pain, fighting for justice in systems that too often fail so many, and showing up with humility, wisdom, and grace every step of the way. She won’t say it, so I will....she is one of the most impactful leaders I know, in addition to be an exceptional friend, mother, and mentor.

In this episode, Krista shares some very vulnerable parts of her story, shared in her newest book. Prevailing Purpose is more than a book though—it’s an invitation. Through poetry, narrative, and reflection prompts, Krista opens the door for readers to make meaning of their own experiences.💛

🎧 Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0JkwVRahw5OTj1I4wTg4zo?si=VtzM-6abRIehkd1pZIjCEg
(also on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaWn8ChMtuE )
📖 Order the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZ1ZC1WP
📬 Connect with Krista: [email protected]

✨ If you're in a season of unraveling, rebuilding, or rediscovering your purpose—this is for you.

Note: This episode includes honest reflections on trauma and healing. If you're feeling overwhelmed or triggered, please take care of yourself and seek support. You’re not alone! ❤️‍🩹

📊➡️⚡ Less data. More action. ⚡📊
(Yes—even coming from someone who loves data!!!!)

I’ve spent much of my career digging into metrics, mapping outcomes, and connecting insights across sectors. Data has power. But I’ve also seen how easily it becomes a stall tactic—a way to delay decisions, dodge accountability, or ask communities to re-prove what they’ve already shared (again and again).

At Shared Existence LLC, we believe in data with direction and lived experience with agency.

🧠 Use what already exists.
🗣 Trust the expertise of those most impacted.
🚀 Build the action plan—not just another info plan.

Unless a community tells you otherwise, the data is there. The stories are clear. The need is known. Let’s stop studying the harm and start disrupting it.

📢 Coming soon from Wear the Message:
Watch for the merch drop tomorrow, continue wearing the message!

Have you made a purchase yet?

Every design is rooted in truth,
Centered on lived expertise,
And made to be worn with purpose.

For the whole month of April, recently dropped shirt(s) are $22.20 each and the whole store has FREE shipping.

📣 Wear what matters.
🎯 Amplify real stories.
🚚 Free shipping all month.

Go shopping! 🛒https://shared-existence-llc.printify.me/

💜 Support Shared Existence LLC & Wear the Message! 💜

Many have asked how to support Shared Existence LLC after recent changes under the new administration led to the termination of our source of income. While several exciting opportunities are in the works, one way to help sustain this work is by purchasing a shirt with a powerful message—and encouraging others to do the same!

✨ FOR 48 HOURS ONLY – FREE SHIPPING! ✨

Now is the perfect time to grab a shirt and save on shipping! Be sure to select your preferred color when ordering.

After this 48-hour window, shipping is typically $4 per item, and prices have been kept as low as possible while still ensuring a sustainable profit. Efforts are ongoing to reduce shipping costs long-term, but for now, this is a great opportunity to support the mission with no extra fees.

🔥 More Than a Shirt—A Statement of Values 🔥

Shared Existence LLC is built on the belief that lived experiences matter and that justice begins with listening, valuing, and uplifting the voices too often ignored. Every design in this collection reflects that mission, sparking conversation and spreading awareness about the interconnected struggles and strengths that shape our communities.

🛍 By wearing these shirts, you're not just supporting a small business—you’re amplifying a message of justice and inclusion.

About Shared Existence LLC:
Founded as Iowa’s first woman-owned LGBTQ+ business recognized by the National LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, Shared Existence LLC is committed to centering lived experiences and fostering community and belonging.

This small business is:
✅ Woman-owned & operated
✅ LGBTQ+ owned & operated
✅ Disability-owned & operated

📦 Items typically arrive in 1–2 weeks.

Financial sustainability is essential to continuing this work. Purchasing a shirt is a tangible way to show support while carrying the message forward.

🛍 Shop now: http://shared-existence-llc.printify.me

(Pictured below are a few of the shirts available in adult sizes XS–5XL. We also have kid sizes for a limited number of shirts.)

Thank you for supporting this mission and ensuring these values continue to thrive! 💜

🚨 Iowa Erased Gender Identity from Civil Rights Protections—But the Fight Isn’t Over. 🚨

At Shared Existence LLC, we believe that policy is personal. The recent decision in Iowa to remove gender identity from the state’s civil rights protections is not just legislation—it is a direct assault on human dignity, safety, and the fundamental right to exist without fear.

Lived experience tells us that when legal protections are stripped away, harm increases. Trans and nonbinary people—especially youth—will face greater discrimination in housing, employment, education, and public life. This is not just an Iowa issue. This is a warning of what can happen anywhere when marginalized voices are ignored.

💜 But let’s be clear—there is resistance. There is love. There is community. 💜

On Thursday, over 2,500 people filled the Iowa Capitol in the largest protest the state has ever seen to oppose this bill. That kind of solidarity matters. It is a reminder that trans Iowans are not alone. Across the country, people are standing up and speaking out. You are seen. You are valued. You are loved.

What can we do?
✅ Center trans voices. Listen, share, and amplify their lived experiences.
✅ Challenge discrimination. In workplaces, schools, and public spaces, make it clear that transphobia is unacceptable.
✅ Support local organizations fighting for trans rights and protections.
✅ Vote and advocate. Laws like this remind us why leadership matters—use your voice, your vote, and your power to push for change.

We cannot build a just and inclusive society if we allow people’s rights to be stripped away. True shared existence means standing together, protecting each other, and ensuring that all identities are recognized, respected, and safe.

Thank you to the Gazette for including us in the recent HER edition! We were excited to share about both Shared Existence LLC and Project Isaiah!

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kvud/wxgn/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGCR_lleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHb2UaLYU5OnePKU2wHavpfzqP9oe9gsJn1qX9xc6RhrE7JLz5me6dWUbpw_aem_PVjCjEVMR6FS_NQ_FmkhFA =1

Thank you, United Women in Faith of St. Paul's UMC, Cedar Rapids, IA for inviting us to present on "Valuing Lived Expertise to Enhance Our Shared Existence." We were thrilled to see how engaged this group was throughout the entire presentation and their eagerness to continue learning and applying their knowledge through action!

(Photos provided by LJ Schneekloth - thank you LJ!)

Today we celebrate all who are out and proud and stand alongside those who are coming out or don’t feel safe to, yet. I also encourage all to reflect on your practices and how you contribute to creating either safe spaces or harm for the LGBTQIA+ community. Don’t forget to think about it with a lens of intersectionality… ❤️🏳️‍🌈



(Below is a link to resources for coming out and for those who want to support the LGBTQ+ community)

National Coming Out Day Be proud of who you are and your support for LGBTQ+ equality this National Coming Out Day!