The 'Torch of Freedom Award' is a prestigious award presented by the ACLU of Utah to individuals or organizations whose unwavering commitment and exceptional contributions have significantly advanced the cause of civil rights and liberties in Utah.
About Kaitlyn Mahoney (they/she), owner of Under the Umbrella Bookstore
Kaitlyn Mahoney (they/she) is the owner of Under the Umbrella Bookstore. They discovered their queer identity primarily through books after making the decision to read more diversely in their mid-20s. Because the publishing industry does not prioritize the stories of queer folks or other marginalized identities, finding these stories was—and continues to be—more difficult than it should be. In January 2021, after years of waiting for someone else to do it, they decided to open a queer-specific bookstore where queer folks of all ages could gather and celebrate their identities in a validating space. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, they were able to open Under the Umbrella in November 2021.
"It can at times be scary and lonely to run a visibly queer community space. Receiving this award reminds me how important this work is. I’m incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the ACLU of Utah and in particular their Transgender Rights Strategist, Nick Arteaga, over the past several years through a variety of collaborative events and projects that have served trans, queer, and BIPOC communities here in Salt Lake City," said Kaitlyn Mahoney.
Welcome to Under the Umbrella Bookstore, Salt Lake City’s only all-queer bookstore! That means all of the 10,000+ books on our shelves are written by LGBTQIA+ authors and/or have queer representation in their stories. We also carry tons of queer gifts and swag—like flags, stickers, pins, candles, tote bags, and cards—all from queer-owned brands and local queer artists.
The bookstore opened in the fall of 2021, and the coffee shop opened 2 years later. We're located in downtown Salt Lake City, and aim to be not just a bookstore but also a safe, sober, and accessible community space for all that fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella! We host queer book clubs, markets, and events, and even have rentable space for private and public events.
The majority of banned books are by queer and/or BIPOC authors–so as an all-LGBTQIA+ bookstore that also prioritizes authors of color, we quite literally exist in the face of censorship, especially in a state like Utah, where more anti-transgender and anti-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) laws are passed each year.
Of course, there are many more organizations and businesses pushing back against censorship and creating important spaces for queer and and BIPOC communities in Salt Lake, including the Nuanua Collective, Burning Sissy Valley, Black, Bold and Brilliant, the Utah Black Artist Collective, Project Rainbow, and Genderbands to name just a few. I look forward to continuing to support each other's work creating more spaces where we feel welcome, supported and celebrated!
