About Us

Our Vision

Missouri is a state in which LGBTQ+ people – every demographic, race, ethnicity, zip code, and experience – are valued and thriving.

Our Mission

PROMO confronts systemic inequities to liberate the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination and oppression.

About PROMO Fund

PROMO Fund is Missouri’s LGBTQ+ public policy, organizing, and education nonprofit defending the community’s rights and fighting to expand protections for nearly 40 years. We mobilize thousands of Missourians — LGBTQ+ supporters, business and community leaders, legislators, and people from all backgrounds — every year to advocate and utilize their voices in the halls of the Missouri State Capitol and within their own communities. Founded in 1986, our organizational roots are in privacy rights, including abortion and reproductive health, LGBTQ+ equality, repealing sodomy laws, HIV justice, and more. As the LGBTQ+ equality movement grew into the 1990s, we evolved to center our work on LGBTQ+ equality.

Our History: From PACE to PREP to PROMO

In 1986, our organization was formed in response to the continued legal and political attacks on queer persons in Missouri and throughout the country.

In June 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bowers v. Hardwick jolted the legal, political, and social landscape for LGBTQ+ persons and the nation’s right to privacy. This case began in Georgia, when police officers entered the home of Michael Bowers to serve a warrant for outstanding tickets; when they found him with another man, officers then arrested Bowers for violating Georgia’s sodomy law. Bowers took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 affirming the right to outlaw sodomy. Following the case, the Missouri Supreme Court used the Hardwick decision to uphold the state’s Sexual Misconduct Law. The majority opinion engaged in homophobic, disparaging, and prejudicial remarks against the queer community. The Missouri and Hardwick’s decision sparked outrage throughout the state.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, attorney Arlene Zarembka was interviewed and was asked what concerned citizens should do about this travesty of justice. She replied that, given the Hardwick decision, “people should take to the streets.” Shortly afterward, Arlene received calls from Rabbi Susan Talve and Terrie Liberman asking what could be done. As a result of those calls, an organizational meeting was held for a new political organization to work for the right of privacy in Missouri. The meeting led to the formation of People Aligned for Change and Equality (PACE), a gathering of concerned citizens from rallies held at the Old Courthouse,

The organization continued to evolve officially becoming the Privacy Rights Education Project (PREP) focused on privacy rights, including choice and reproductive health, LGBTQ+ equality, repealing sodomy laws, and more. As the LGBTQ+ equality movement grew into the 1990s, PREP restructured into PROMO in an effort to center its time, mission, and resources to LGBTQ+ equality. PROMO remains a committed ally to our partner organizations and parallel movements and is the leading statewide public policy and advocacy organization providing resources, educational materials, and advocacy for queer equality and safety.