Local
Face to Face Announces Strategic Plan to End HIV in Sonoma County
Face to Face presents their Strategic Plan. Executive Director, Sara Brewer, along with Face to Face’s passionate and dedicated staff and Board of Directors have been working on this plan for the past few months in order to keep moving forward to achieve their mission.Central to the plan is their commitment to reduce transmission of HIV in people 25 and younger, enhance care services, scale up prevention services and be more more of a sustainable and resilient community resource. Please take the time to get to know our plan for our community. |
Transgender Day of Remembrance 2020 Friday, November 20 at the Plaza Outside Arizmendi Bakery
Join us in Downtown San Rafael to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2020. We will have powerful speakers, live music, and will read the names of the transgender people who have been killed over the last year due to anti-trans violence.
Please share information about the event widely with your networks: we encourage all to show up in support of trans people in Marin County and beyond!
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.
TDOR founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith, says “Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people — sometimes in the most brutal ways possible — it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.” If you cannot attend the event in-person, it will also be live-streamed over Zoom. You can register for the Zoom meeting at bit.ly/TDORMarin. Please note this is the link to register, and then you will be emailed the actual meeting information. In case of rain, we will be holding the event entirely virtual, so check the weather the day of the event!
Face to Face Announces Launch of Spanish Language Version of Website
Today we’re excited to announce the launch of the Spanish version of our website. This has been part of our new strategic plan that we have been working on as we move forward into a new year. It is vital that we are able to reach out and communicate with our Latinx community that we serve here in Sonoma County.The challenges that this community faces in dealing with HIV and more is a key issue for us here at Face to Face and we are thrilled to be able to find more ways that we can share the work we do here with them. While this is just one step in the process we hope that it leads to more understanding of the key issues that the population faces. |
We will continue to strive to do more outreach via our social media channels moving forward. |
Greetings!Hoy nos complace anunciar el lanzamiento de la versión en español de nuestro sitio de web. Esto ha sido parte de nuestro nuevo plan estratégico en el que hemos estado trabajando a medida que avanzamos hacia un nuevo año. Es vital que podamos acercarnos y comunicarnos con nuestra comunidad Latinx a la que servimos aquí en el condado de Sonoma.Los desafíos que enfrenta esta comunidad para lidiar con el VIH y más es un tema clave para nosotros aquí en Face to Face y estamos encantados de poder encontrar más formas en que podemos compartir el trabajo que hacemos aquí con ellos. Si bien esto es solo un paso en el proceso, esperamos que conduzca a una mayor comprensión de los problemas clave que enfrenta la población. Continuaremos esforzándonos por hacer más divulgación a través de nuestros canales de redes sociales en el futuro. |
Sincerely/Atentamente,Sara Sara BrewerExecutive Director/Directora EjecutivaFace to Face |
Free LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline Class Happens Wednesday
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. 11/18 we will be talking about the AIDS epidemic in Sonoma County with Steven DiVerde and Jude Mariah.
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class and receive a Zoom invite: [email protected]
Happening This Month at The Spahr Center in Marin
A Thanksgiving Notluck on zoomNovember 26 12:30 to 2 pm You are warmly invited to join a Thanksgiving “Notluck” with our community of LGBT Seniors on zoom. Though our world is troubled, we still have reasons to be grateful. Let’s share gratitudes while we have our meal. Other communities have been sharing meals on zoom and this is a perfect day for us to be together. What’s a Notluck? A Notluck is like a Potluck except you prepare your own meal, exactly as you want it, so there’s no luck needed. Then, you can eat safely in your own home while zooming with your chosen family. The times are tight for many of us. The Spahr Center is happy to deliver the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal if you let us know you would like them. Please contact us at: [email protected] or call 415/457.2487. |
To join the Spahr Senior Groupon Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart. New participants are warmly welcomed! |
Topical Thursdays12:30 to 2 pmNovember 5 There’s likely no topic that could keep us from talking about the election.We could choose a different topic – favorite films or beloved pets, for instance – but no matter, what we’ll most likely need to talk about is the election and whatever is swirling around us. November 12 The HolidaysNancy Flaxman facilitates! We have talked in the past about the many ways in which LGBT people have often been on the outside in celebrating holidays that involve family and religion. Yet many of you have created your own traditions and your own families of choice. A hike, a movie, dinner out with a friend…. Now even those may not be available because of Covid. Let’s talk about your thoughts, feelings, and ways to stay connected with the essence of what is important to you. Check-in Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening. |
The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the isolation of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your November birthday if you’ll let them know, and they offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather over games and conversation. To see their flyer, click here. |
Roster of Spahr Seniors FormingRecently, some of our seniors have been asking that we create a roster of contact information – email &/or phone number – so people can get in touch with each other outside the groups. We’re happy to do so and to distribute it among those who want to be on it. Let us know if you would like to be part of it and what information you would like shared. And in the meantime, we can always forward your contact information to someone else you would like to connect with to allow them to get in touch with you. |
The Spahr Center honors the Transgender Day of Remembrance Friday November 20th5 to 6:30 pmYou are invited to a Zoom event for Transgender Day of Remembrance. You have to register in advance for this event by clicking: Register Here After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. |
Also in this email (below):Spahr has skilled therapists ready to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis.Rental Assistance available.Nutrition ResourcesBisexual Support zoom group forming through The Spahr Center. |
Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us! The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue every Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on Zoom |
To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 12:25 pm:Join GroupTry it, it’s easy! |
To Join Group by Phone CallIf you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time, 12:25 pm:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296# If you want the meeting to call you to bring you into the group, notify Bill Blackburn 415/450-5339 |
Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write to[email protected]. A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested. Whistlestop, recently renamed Vivalon, provides access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. They also offer free classes on zoom including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click here. Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays[email protected] |
The Spahr Center is opening its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Contact The Spahr Center for more information: [email protected] or 415/457.2487 |
Trouble paying rent? Check out these short videos from Marin County:1. Marin County Eviction Ban2. If you can’t pay your rent3. Paying the rent that you owe4.Help is available Marin Center for Independent Living is offering various kinds of support to people with disabilities as well as older adults to prepare them for possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).Click here: MarinCIL Has your employment or business been impacted by COVID-19? Check out these local resources…click here: WorkForce Alliance Snap Back Assistance, up to $800 for COVID-19 affected workers:Call: 415/473-3300 Free Covid-19 Testing Questions? Assistance? We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basisplus more! Bill Blackburn, Senior Program Coordinator[email protected]415/450-5339 |
Transphobic Comments Impact SR City Council Candidate
A Santa Rosa City Council candidate has retained a key Democratic endorsement after apologizing for years-old online posts that reveal frustration with Democrats and use of vulgar language that has been called out as transphobic and unprofessional.
Eddie Alvarez is endorsed by the Sonoma County Democratic Party in the District 1 race to represent the Roseland and South Park areas. The endorsement gives him access to the local Democrats’ slate mailers and helps Alvarez, a dispensary owner, stand out from his two competitors, electrical engineer Jorge Inocencio and neighborhood advocate Duane De Witt.
But there was a time — June 2016, to be specific — when Alvarez was feeling less than charitable toward the Democratic Party, which was then trying unsuccessfully to push former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton into the White House, only to be foiled by Donald Trump, who ran as a Republican.
He shared on Facebook an image of a middle finger featuring, in block letters: “This lifelong Democrat says bye bye Democratic Party.”
“#F—Dem and the horse they rode in on,” he added in a caption to the post.
That sort of comment stands in stark contrast to Alvarez’s current campaign. He recently touted a campaign event in Roseland that included a walking tour of the district with Pat Sabo, the local party chairwoman.
“It was pretty much the frustration of being ignored,” Alvarez said of his post from four years ago, calling it “a poor choice of words. Thankfully, we moved beyond them.“
A second post from February 2018 criticized the #MeToo movement, in which Alvarez commented that he was calling “bullsh–” on the movement “because you’re walking the same path as every other disenfranchised group” and lamented that activists were “falling for the tired trick of getting you to invest your energy in protests” instead of trying to influence the world in other ways.
A third, apparently posted regarding the brief federal government shutdown of January 2018 likened vocal support for Trump at that time to “buying a hooker that’s walking around with his thing hanging out … yes, somebody is gonna get screwed, but you might be surprised on whose (sic) doing the screwing, and most importantly who is getting screwed.”
Become a Virtual Dining IN for Life Ambassador to Support Food for Thought
Due to COVID-19, we’re making some changes to our annual Dining Out For Life event. It’s now an online fundraising event — Dining IN For Life! This year’s event is on Thursday, December 3rd and you can help support struggling local restaurants and Food For Thought by volunteering as a virtual ambassador. Volunteering is easy, simply: #1 Sign up online and create an ambassador page #2 Invite your family, friends and networks to order takeout and make a donation to Food For Thought You’ll be given support by Food For Thought’s staff and the tools to share information about the event on social media or by email. The best part is you get to volunteer in your pajamas from the comfort of your home! |
This year participating restaurants are not being asked to donate a percentage of their sales to Food For Thought. The support of our ambassadors and donors is more important than ever! You can help us raise $100,000 to feed our clients at Dining IN For Life on Thursday, December 3rd! |
*Please note this button takes you to a site called Give Lively. You must enter your name, email and create a password to start the registration process. |
Questions? Contact Events & Stewardship Manager Dominique Petersen at (707) 887-1647 ext. 126 or [email protected]. |
Free Sonoma County LGBTQI Timeline History Class Wednesday
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Next week, 10/28 our topic will be the role of 12-Step programs in Sonoma County LGBTQI history. Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class and receive a Zoom invite: [email protected]
Sonoma County DA Jill Ravitch Not Seeking Fourth Term
Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch will not seek a fourth term in office, saying she will be ready to retire at the end of 2022 from the county’s top law enforcement agency in a move that is likely to open up the field for a contested race.
So far two deputies in her office and a private attorney have said they are exploring the possibility of running for the position: Windsor Vice Mayor Esther Lemus, a deputy district attorney; Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell and cannabis attorney Omar Figueroa, who briefly challenged Ravitch before her reelection in 2018.
With whispers that others are also exploring a run, the campaign could turn into a crowded issue-driven race at a time when criminal justice reforms and police brutality have been central to public discourse nationwide.
Staebell already benefits from the backing of Ravitch, the first woman to serve as Sonoma County’s district attorney. Ravitch said she encouraged the 23-year veteran of the office to run because of his broad experience in the courtroom and managing staff.
But she cautioned against viewing her role leading the agency as diminished, noting she still has two years to oversee the office that reviews at least 17,000 cases each year and has a budget of $17 million.
“I’m very proud the voters are giving me a third term and I’m working hard every day to ensure we seek justice,” Ravitch said. “I’ve been at the helm through fires, pandemics, power outages, floods, protests, housing crises. You name it, we’ve been through it.”
Ravitch unseated then-District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua when she was elected in 2010 after campaigning on her strong record in the courtroom, where she was known as a fierce and successful prosecutor.
Her preference for a district attorney with more trial experience is reflected in her approach to leading the office after she replaced Passalacqua, who had less experience arguing serious felony cases than Ravitch. Early in her first term, Ravitch took the lead role in prosecuting a murder case involving a man who killed his sister’s boyfriend at their Healdsburg home.
Ravitch said her experience handling serious felony cases has been essential when she has had to make death penalty decisions and when she provided the yearlong review of the 2013 shooting of Andy Lopez, a 13-year-old Santa Rosa boy shot by a sheriff’s deputy. His death sparked calls for police reform that last today.
She concluded the deputy, Erick Gelhaus, did not violate criminal law when he shot and killed the boy, a controversial decision.
“That was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make,” Ravitch said. “The facts made it hard. It’s horrifying to think a child has been shot. It was a difficult decision because the community was in such unrest. It unveiled the incredible disconnect in our community and the disenfranchisement.”
Lemus has less experience handling serious cases than her colleague but would bring political exposure and experience winning an election, gained when voters chose her to join the Windsor Town Council in 2018.
Lemus grew up in a deeply rooted Sonoma County family, went to UC Berkeley and studied law at UCLA. She worked as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Bay Area and Southern California before joining the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office in 2007.
Lemus said she has been encouraged to run and was interested, but declined to elaborate on her experience or what motivates her to consider pursuing the role.
“I’m acknowledging that I’m exploring a possible run, but it’s so early,“ Lemus said.
Ravitch, when asked about Lemus’ work, said she has worked on the misdemeanor trial team, domestic violence treatment court and has served in a public engagement role.
Staebell graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law and joined the District Attorney’s Office after graduating 23 years ago. He has decades of experience handling serious felony sexual assault, gang and murder cases. He has chaired the county’s Human Trafficking Task Force for the past five years and was promoted six years ago to Ravitch’s management team.
Staebell said he, too, is still “exploring” a run for the office but said he believes he has the experience to meet the demands of the office.
“Experience is important because the issues are so complicated,” Staebell said. “Just the number of curveballs where you have to make decisions that affect people’s lives in a powerful way, you have to have a sense of fairness and experience about where those decisions will lead.”
Anticipating a dynamic, contested campaign, a group of about a half-dozen criminal defense attorneys are putting together a list of criminal justice reforms that could be implemented by the District Attorney’s Office and plan to ask each candidate to explain their stances.