LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Next Wed. 5/5/21
join us as we look at the history of Sonoma County Pride with
Magi Fedorka. Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class
and get a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
Sonoma County Pride (SCP) is pleased to welcome back Graton Resort & Casino as Annual Title Sponsor of this year’s Pride celebrations and host of this year’s unique re-imagined “Beyond the Rainbow Drive-Through Parade” on Saturday, June 5. A keystone of this year’s month-long celebration, the design of this parade event acknowledges and respects the need for COVID-19 safety and social distancing by re-imagining the event as a drive-through experience. Organizations and individual contingents will occupy defined spaces for their stationary displays (floats) and celebrants, allowing attendees to drive along the parade route and experience the excitement and community of Pride in a unique and unprecedented manner. A streaming soundtrack will be available to guide and entertain parade-goers as they make their way through the space.
According to SCP, “our goal is to have no more than 20 to 30 contingents made up of local LGBTQI organizations, allies, and Sonoma County Pride sponsors. Each group will occupy a designated area in the large outdoor lot at the south end of the property to stage their stationary ‘float’, with mindful limits on the number of people allowed on-premise. As in our traditional parade, Sonoma County Pride 2021 judges will judge and choose the winning parade displays for 2021, to be announced during one of our live streams.”
Greg Sarris, Chairman of Graton Resort & Casino, is happy to offer the Resort’s support for Pride and the Sonoma LGBTQ community again this year. “Graton Resort and Casino is honored to be the Annual Title Sponsor of 2021 Sonoma County Pride. Our core values are fostering compassion, inclusiveness and understanding of all citizens in our community. I am always adamant in making sure that the LGBTQ community is not only represented but protected. As I have said before, the only thing we don’t tolerate here at the casino resort is intolerance.”
Grace Villafuerte, Vice President of SCP, echoes Sarris’ sentiment in looking forward to another year of their support and cooperation. “We are so grateful for Graton Resort‘s continued commitment to the LGBT community of Sonoma County, and their ongoing support for Sonoma County Pride, which allows us to offer a month-long series of events, that we hope will provide comfort during a time of uncertainty, a renewed sense of community, and enjoyment and peace throughout June.”
Christopher Kren-Mora, President of SCP, is confident that this adaptation to the usual Pride festivities will be a fun and memorable experience for all. “Sonoma County Pride is proud and grateful to announce that Graton Resort & Casino has determined once again to partner with our organization in presenting events for 2021 so that SCP is able to continue to be a beacon of education, solidarity, equality and unity to the community. Graton Resort & Casino has been a supporter and major contributor to Sonoma County Pride and the LGBT community for since it opened in 2013.”
Join the excitement of the “Beyond the Rainbow Drive-Through Parade” Saturday, June 5, from 11am to 2pm. To reserve your time block or have your own float or display in the parade visit SonomaCountyPride.org
Sonoma County recently has launched a standby list for coronavirus vaccination appointments.
Residents who register for the list will be notified when vaccination appointments at local clinics become available because of extra doses or unfilled appointments, said Matt Brown, a county spokesman.
Individuals will be called in the order that they registered, Brown said, and should be “ready to go” once they are notified. The calls may come from a blocked number.
To register, visit https://form.jotform.com/211016242241134. Residents will be asked to provide their name, date of birth, address, contact information and preferred language. Insurance is not required to receive a vaccine.
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, 6-8pm
Zoom Link: https://petk12.zoom.us/j/84338809877
Petaluma City Schools (PCS) invites elementary school parents and caregivers to attend an online education session regarding supporting LGBTQIA+ students on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 6-8pm. This session, which is open to families with elementary students in other nearby school districts, will aim to provide both an introduction to relevant topics for LGBTQIA+ youth and families who may be at the beginning of their journey, as well as more in-depth information for families who have already been on this journey for a while. Spanish translation and ASL interpretation will be available.
For this gathering, we will be joined by panelists from the following local community organizations, with descriptions of relevant program offerings listed next to each:
For event security purposes this session will be presented as a webinar, and participants will have the opportunity to send in written questions via this form both before and during the event. Participants may also submit their questions by phone by calling McKinley School at 707-778-4750.
Please know that through this event we intend to offer a safe and supportive space for our LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community members. Hate speech or disrespectful conduct of any kind will not be tolerated, and any participant displaying conduct of this nature will be removed from the event immediately. You may submit any questions or feedback you have regarding this event via the form above.
See below for call-in options, and we look forward to seeing you on the 28th!
When: Apr 28, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Virtual Parent & Caregiver Education Night on Supporting LGBTQIA+ Students
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Or One tap mobile :
US: +16699006833,,84338809877# or +13462487799,,84338809877#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 843 3880 9877
International numbers available: https://petk12.zoom.us/u/keHKi2SERu
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Únase con las escuelas primarias de PCS para noche virtual de educación para padres y cuidadores sobre el apoyo para los estudiantes LGBTQIA+
Miércoles 28 de abril de 2021, de 6 a 8 p.m.
Enlace de zoom: https://petk12.zoom.us/j/84338809877
Las escuelas de la ciudad de Petaluma (PCS) invitan a los padres y cuidadores de la escuela primaria a asistir a una sesión de educación en línea sobre el apoyo para los estudiantes LGBTQIA + el miércoles 28 de abril de 2021 de 6 a 8 p.m. Esta sesión, que se ofrece a familias con estudiantes de primaria en otros distritos escolares cercanos, tendrá como objetivo proporcionar una introducción a temas relevantes para los jóvenes y familias LGBTQIA + que pueden estar al comienzo de este camino, al igual que información más detallada para familias que ya llevan un tiempo en este camino. Habrá traducción al español e interpretación de ASL.
Para esta reunión, se nos unirán panelistas de las siguientes organizaciones comunitarias locales, con descripciones de programas relevantes al lado de cada una:
Por motivos de seguridad, esta sesión se presentará como un seminario web y los participantes tendrán la oportunidad de enviar preguntas por escrito a través de este formulario antes y durante el evento. Los participantes también pueden enviar sus preguntas por teléfono llamando a la escuela McKinley al 707-778-4750.
Tenga en cuenta que a través de este evento tenemos la intención de ofrecer un espacio seguro y de apoyo para nuestros miembros de la comunidad LGBTQIA + y BIPOC. No se tolerará el discurso de odio o la conducta irrespetuosa de cualquier tipo, y cualquier participante que muestre una conducta de esta naturaleza será retirado del evento de inmediato. Puede enviar cualquier pregunta o comentario que tenga sobre este evento a través del formulario anterior.
Vea a continuación las opciones de llamadas, ¡y esperamos verlo el día 28!
Cuándo: 28 de abril de 2021 a las 06:00 p.m. hora del Pacífico (EE. UU. Y Canadá)
Tema: Noche educativa virtual para padres y cuidadores sobre el apoyo a los estudiantes LGBTQIA +
Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para unirse al seminario web:
https://petk12.zoom.us/j/84338809877
Un toque móvil :
US: +16699006833,,84338809877# or +13462487799,,84338809877#
Por teléfono:
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592
Numero de ID: 843 3880 9877
Números internacionales disponibles: https://petk12.zoom.us/u/keHKi2SERu
| In keeping with our mission of ending HIV in Sonoma County we have partnered with Q.Care, a telehealth service provider so that we can offer PrEP to all that come through our doors. With PrEP, people who are HIV negative take medication once a day to reduce the risk of getting infected if they are exposed to HIV. It is an additional method that can be used with other HIV prevention strategies such as condoms. |
| Executive Director, Sara Brewer states, “Despite the success of marketing PrEP to gay men, there has been less effort to inform the general public. This has led to a huge disparity of awareness, access, and usage among different populations, especially people of color, women, transgender individuals, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men who are not integrated into the gay community.” |
| Even if people have heard about PrEP there are several other potential barriers such as cost, access to medical care, insurance coverage, perceived stigma and more. At Face to Face, we see the expanded use of PrEP as the highest priority in preventing new infections and are pleased to offer support to help overcome these challenges. This is an alignment with and another step in our mission of ending HIV in Sonoma County.We are truly thrilled to be able to expand our servicesin providing PrEP to our clients. |
| If you know someone, or if you yourself are interested in finding out information on PrEP, our prevention team offers educational services and will assist you through every step to get on PrEP. Access includes virtual doctor visits, convenient at-home labs and prescriptions delivered directly to your door. Getting on PrEP has never been easier. Contact our PrEP Navigator, Angel Ortiz at aortiz@f2f.orgor call our offices at 707-544-1581 |
The County of Sonoma Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) helps eligible households who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides payment assistance for renters or landlords who need help with rent and utilities. Applications can be completed online or sent in via mail.
Need help applying online?
Contact one of the CBO’s providers for assistance. Spanish-speaking assistance is available.
| Organization | Webpage | Phone Number | Service Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NorthBay Organizanizing Project/ Undocufund | http://www.northbayop.org/ | (707) 481–2970 | Sonoma County |
| Petaluma People Services Center | https://petalumapeople.org/housing/ | (707)765–8488 | Sonoma County |
| Reach For Home | https://www.reachforhome.org/ | (707) 433–6161 | Northern Sonoma County (Windsor-Cloverdale) |
| La Luz | https://www.laluzcenter.org/ | (707) 938–5131 | Sonoma Valley |
| Catholic Charities | https://www.srcharities.org/contact | (707) 528-8712 | Sonoma County |
| West County Community Services | https://www.westcountyservices.org/ | (707) 837-3037 for Spanish call (707) 869-3613 | West County |
| River to Coast Childrens’ Services | https://rccservices.org/ | (707) 869-3613 | West County |
| Community Action Partnership Sonoma County | https://www.capsonoma.org/ | (707) 544–6911 | Sonoma County |
| California Parenting Institute | https://calparents.org/ | (707) 585-6108 | |
| Face to Face/ Sonoma County AIDS Network | https://f2f.org/services/housing-services/ | (707) 544-1581 | Sonoma County (Patients or clients of Face2Face only) |
| Russian River Alliance | https://www.russianriveralliance.org/ | (707) 483-7038 | Forestville to Cazadero including, Occidental. |
Please visit our FAQto get more information on the process and who is eligible to apply.
There are local resources for both renters and homeowners available in Sonoma County.
The COVID-19 Urgent Response and Aid (CURA) Project is a hub connecting Latinx, Indigenous, and low-income community members to a wide range of community-based services.
For assistance with rent or utilities, see Financial & Housing Assistance »
On March 24, 2020, the Board of Supervisors took action to approve the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Ordinance, effective immediately and for the duration of the declared Local Emergency in Sonoma County.
This ordinance creates a legal defense for tenants who live anywhere in Sonoma County and are being evicted due to non-payment of rent and who can demonstrate financial losses due to lost work or medical expenses resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The ordinance requires that tenants who use this defense share that information with their landlord to support claims for any prospective mortgage relief.
On Feb. 9, 2021, the Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the ordinance that includes Just Cause Limitations, which closes loopholes that could have been used by landlords to evict tenants for minor lease infractions. This applies to residents who are unable to pay rent for COVID-19-related reasons and those who are able to pay rent but may have other minor lease infractions.
For instance, without Just Cause Limitations, landlords would have been able to evict tenants who were not paying rent for COVID-19-related reasons for minor lease infractions such as an unauthorized sublet or having a pet. The Just Cause Limitations does allow landlords to evict residents who are unable to pay rent for COVID-related reasons when there are demonstrable health and safety concerns or when a property is removed from the rental market.
The ordinance automatically applies to both incorporated and unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, although cities may elect to establish their own ordinance.
The Ordinance will continue for 60 days after the end of the emergency. Rent is not forgiven for tenants with a hardship, but landlords must work with tenants on a rent repayment program that will allow tenants to stay housed during this emergency.
For tenant support and questions about how the eviction ordinance passed by the Board of Supervisors may apply to you, contact Legal Aid Sonoma County at (707) 542-1290 or California Rural Legal Assistance at (707) 528-9941 or watch the videos below, explaining Sonoma County’s Eviction Defense Ordinance:
For more information, see How you can help »
Former Sebastopol mayor and out gay man Robert Jacob now faces 11 felony charges of child sexual assault, up from five since city police arrested him Saturday morning, April 10, according to Sonoma County Superior Court records.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office’s online “Jail Inmate Search” shows Jacob’s bail set at $620,000, a change since the Sebastopol Police Department (SPD)’s April 10 press release said he was taken to the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility and held without bail that day.
Jacob, 44, has a court date scheduled for Thursday, April 15 at 1:30 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office jail detainee search. He was appointed mayor for one term between December 2013 and December 2014 during his single four-year term from on the Sebastopol City Council from 2012 to 2016, according to Mary Gourley, city clerk and assistant city manager.
Jacob is also the co-founder of Sebastopol’s first cannabis dispensary, Peace in Medicine.
The court records for Robert Emmanuel Jacob list one count for sexual penetration with a child under 16 years-old, five counts of lewd acts with a child age 14 or 15 being 10 or more years older than the minor and two counts of coming into the possession of a child younger than 16 for lewd or lascivious acts.
Further, the records show one count for communication with a minor to commit an offense, one count for arranging to meet a child for lewd acts and one count for distribution of child pornography.
Sebastopol police officers reached Jacob at around 7 a.m. Saturday, April 10 in the 7400 block of Woodland Avenue and arrested him on suspicion of five felony and one misdemeanor sexual assault crimes against a minor, per the April 10 SPD statement said.
According to the press release, the police came into information on March 30 about sexual assaults that may have happened in Sebastopol from December 2019 to March 2021 and the investigation led to Jacob. Police Chief Kevin Kilgore said six officers responded, along with a lieutenant and himself, to serve the arrest and search warrant in an April 14 interview.
“The initial crimes that were mentioned at the start of this investigation all occurred in the city of Sebastopol and the investigation is ongoing to determine if there were more crimes that occurred in the city of Sebastopol,” Police Chief Kevin Kilgore said in an April 14 interview.
Kilgore said he did not know how many separate incidents may have occurred and that he could not discuss any of the evidence in the ongoing investigation involving one victim so far, “but we’ve asked that anyone who may have information related to this incident or any other incident that they contact the Sebastopol Police Department.”
The April 10 statement requested anyone with that information call SPD at 707-829-4400 for Report #21-0220.
The police chief also said he could not share further information on how Sebastopol police received the tip on March 30, nor how Jacob may have arranged to commit the alleged acts or what relationship may have existed between the former mayor and the minor during the investigation.
SPD will work with the district attorney throughout the investigation, Kilgore said.
To help us respond to grant opportunities, we are asking families in our group to anonymously provide some demographic data regarding your household.
Your response to this form will greatly help us in securing funding to create programming for our community.
Please take a moment to complete this brief survey, and submit your response by April 28, 2021.
With Gratitude,
Ana Flores Tindall (she/her/hers/they/them/theirs)
Sal Andropoulos (they/them/theirs)
Kayla Flores Tindall (she/her/hers)
Sam Coates (he/him/his)
Zahyra Garcia (she/her/hers)
Parent Leadership Group
North Bay LGBTQI Families
North Bay LGBTQI Families is a fiscally sponsored project of Our Family Coalition.
| UPCOMING EVENTS(more info below) April 8 – Brain/Body Health April 13 – Birthday Celebration*April 15 – Nancy Facilitates!April 20 – Games Day*April 27 – Women’s Coffee*Every Mon. & Thu. – Spahr Senior GroupsEvery Tue. – Trans/Non-Binary Support Group * Social Committee Event |
| Covid-19 News for Seniors Do you know people who may need help making an appointment for vaccines, especially if they are not online? Please let them know of this resource: |
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| Caregivers and family caregivers of seniors are now eligible to be vaccinated. Let me know – bblackburn@thespahrcenter – of these situations and I can send a letter to qualify them for innoculations now, even if they don’t meet other qualifications for the shots. |
| You may relate to parts of this article:The Pandemic and Anxiety “After a year on high alert, we can feel simultaneously wired and tired, aroused and exhausted, ready to fight and eager for bed. Our bodies reach a surge capacity.” Click to read more, click: here |
| To join the Spahr Senior GroupMondays, 7 to 8 pm, &Thursdays, 12:30 t0 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart or here: |
| New participants are warmly welcomed! |
| Topical Thursdays April 1April Fool’s Day What does it mean to “fool” someone? Are there memorable tricks you played on someone in the past? Or one played on you? What was the funniest prank you experienced? And what is the difference between having fun with someone rather than having fun at another’s expense? April 8Tips for Healthy Brain & Body We invite Gene Giramonte, a gay man working with the Alzheimer’s Association, to talk with us about the many things he learned about maintaining our brain/body health while caring for his partner, Art, who had dementia. (see flyer below…) April 15Nancy Flaxman FacilitatesHow have your views on aging evolved?How did you view old people when you were a child, young adult, mid-life adult? Now that you are in your own senior years, what do you see that you got wrong or right about aging? How is your own aging different than your previous conceptions and misconceptions? Of the people older than you now, who provides a role model for your next decade? Coming soon: Beyond the Binary: Gender and Pronouns II Conversational Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening and deepening community. |
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| The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather on zoom over games and conversation. To sign up for their emails, click here. To see the Social Committee’s April Calendar, click: here. |
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| 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 everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom |
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| To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try 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,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296# If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn at 415/450-5339 |
| California Department of Aging ResourcesThe CDA has a website that is packed with information and resources relevant to the lives of seniors in our state. From Covid-19 updates to more general care for age-related health issues, access to legal assistance to getting home-delivered meals to help with housing, you may well find answers to your questions by clicking: here. |
| Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write toinfo@thespahrcenter.org. A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested. Whistlestop, 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 weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org |
| The Spahr Center has opened its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! 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: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457.2487 |
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 BlackburnSenior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339 |
