To recognize LGBTQ+ stories and characters that are woven into current kids programming and encourage more representation, a new awards program called “The Velmas” is about to announce its first batch of winners.

This is the lead initiative of The Rainbow Project, a new organization established by Emmy-winners Chris Nee (pictured, Doc McStuffins) and Kristi Reed (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts), along with Jeremy Blacklow, a longtime media exec who helped establish the children’s and family programming categories for the GLAAD Media Awards. 

The three partners are championing a mission to elevate LGBTQ+ storytelling for young audiences—and The Velmas will support this goal by celebrating “the incredible work happening in kids and family programming that goes beyond tokenism and authentically portrays LGBTQ+ characters and stories,” explains Nee. The Velmas are named after the smart and bespectacled Scooby-Doo character, Velma Dinkley. Blacklow told The Hollywood Reporter: “Most people can point to that thing that impacted them as a child. For Chris, Kristi and I, it was seeing the queer-coded Velma on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!“

Unlike most award programs, The Velmas will not announce a shortlist. Instead, the three co-founders will solicit recommendations from “their extensive Rolodex of queer kids programming creators” and simply name winners in a dozen categories spanning multiple genres and formats of programming aimed at preschoolers, young children, teens and YA. 

The inaugural recipients will be announced next week (December 10). While no ceremony is planned for this year, the org intends to scale up and “expand its reach” in the future—whether this means hosting a ceremony or bringing in a panel of judges remains to be seen.

“We have reached a critical moment in children’s media where visibility matters more than ever,” says Reed, with Blacklow noting that the timing for these awards is crucial because on-screen representation is starting to dip. “Beginning in 2018, we saw a brave increase in queer stories on screen in kids programming, but with the current culture wars, we’ve seen those numbers start to go down.”

His observation is backed by GLAAD’s latest annual Where We Are On TV report, which estimated a 2% year-over-year decrease (representing 31 characters) of LGBTQ+ regular characters in primetime scripted broadcast programming. Last month, Disney made headlines when news emerged that it had axed an upcoming trans-centric episode of 2D-animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, though a source at the company noted that the decision had “nothing to do with the current political climate or administration.”