LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Next Wed. 5/12/21 we will be talking with Frances Fuchs and John Torres about the history of same-sex marriage in Sonoma County. Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class and get a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
| As we all know, LGBTQ+ Pride season is nearly upon us come June 1. The Marin County Board of Supervisors has raised the rainbow Pride Flag for the last two years during the month of June to celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to the social and economic fabric of the county, and to express their fullest support for our civil rights. We thank them for their leadership. Now, The Spahr Center would like to see this same display of allyship adopted by more of our county’s key institutions. To that end, we have sent letters to all of Marin’s Mayors, as well as to the Presidents of all school districts and their Superintendents, asking them to fly the flag during LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Please take a brief moment TODAY to send a simple email encouraging YOUR city or town and YOUR local school district (click here to find your school district), to fly the Pride flag and make Marin more visibly welcoming and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. We have included the contact information below. If we as a community reach out to each of these officials. we can persuade them to show that ALL of Marin’s institutions support the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you. Please reach out to the mayor of your town and help us make us proud of Marin! James Campbell, Mayor of Belvedere jlynch@cityofbelvedere.orgEli Beckman, Mayor of Corte Madera ebeckman@tcmmail.orgBruce Ackerman, Mayor of Fairfax backerman@townoffairfax.orgLevin Haroff, Mayor of Larkspur kharoff@cityoflarkspur.orgJohn McCauley, Mayor of Mill Valley jmccauley@cityofmillvalley.orgPat Ecklund, Mayor of Novato peklund@novato.orgElizabeth Robbins, Mayor of Ross eliz.robbins@gmail.comBrian Colbert, Mayor of San Anselmo bcolbert@townofsananselmo.orgKate Colin, Mayor of San Rafael kate.colin@cityofsanrafael.orgJill James Hoffman, Mayor of Sausalito jhoffman@sausalito.govHolli P. Thier, J.D., Mayor of Tiburon hollithiertiburontowncouncil@gmail.com And School Leadership as well! Click here to find out which school district you are in. Dr. Brett Geithman, Larkspur/Corte Madera Schools Superintendent bgeithman@lcmschools.orgLarkspur/Corte Madera Schools Board of Trustees Trustees@lcmschools.orgDr. Michael McDowell, Ross School District Superintendent mpmcdowell@rossbears.orgJeff Bergholt, Ross School District Board of Trustees President jbergholt@rossbears.orgJim Hogeboom, San Rafael City Schools Superintendent superintendent@srcs.orgLinda M Jackson, San Rafael City Schools Board of Trustees President ljackson@srcs.orgBecky Rosales, Miller Creek School District Superintendent brosales@millercreeksd.orgAlissa Chacko, Miller Creek School District Board of Trustees President achacko@millercreeksd.orgBob Raines, Shoreline Unified School District Superintendent bob.raines@shorelineunified.orgJill Manning-Satori, Shoreline Unified School District Board of Trustees President jsartori@shorelineunified.orgRaquel Rose, Kentfield School District Superintendent rrose@kentfieldschools.orgHeather McPhail Sridharan, Kentfield School District Board of Trustees President hmcphailsridharan@kentfieldschools.orgKris Cosca, Novato Unified School District Superintendent kcosca@nusd.orgRoss Millerick, Novato Unified School District Board of Trustees President rmillerick@nusd.orgTara Taupier, Tamalpais Union High School District Superintendent ttaupier@tamdistrict.orgItoco Garcia, Sausalito/Marin City School District Superintendent igarcia@smcsd.orgIda Green, Sausalito/Marin City School District Board of Trustees President igreen@smcsd.orgDr. Kimberly Berman, Mill Valley School District Superintendent kberman@mvschools.orgMill Valley School District Board of Trustees LetterstotheBoardofTrustees@mvschools.orgJohn Carroll, Bolinas-Stinson Union School District Superintendent jcarroll@bolinas-stinson.orgNancy Neu, Nicasio School District Superintendent nneu@marinschools.orgElaine Doss, Nicasio School District Board of Trustees President edoss@nicasioschool.orgDr. Nancy Lynch, Reed Union School District Superintendent nlynch@reedschools.orgSherry Wangenheim, Reed Union School District Board of Trustees President swangenheim@reedschools.orgMarci Trahan, Ross Valley School District mtrahan@rossvalleyschools.orgShelley Hamilton, Ross Valley School District Board of Trustees President trustee.hamilton@rossvalleyschools.org |
| Example Letter Template |
| Any letter of support will help us see Pride flags across the county. You’re welcome to use this template! It’s always encouraged to share a bit about yourself and why this matters to you. Dear _______, My name is ______, and I am a resident of _______. As a [LGBTQ+ person, ally, etc], I am writing to ask that you fly the rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride flag during June this year. Flying the flag would be a powerful way to celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to the social and economic fabric of the county, and to express our town’s fullest support for our civil rights. Sincerely, __________ |
AIDS Walk San Francisco began in 1987 as a day to honor the friends, family members, and neighbors we had lost, and to shine a light on the most marginalized members of society who were constantly ignored or treated without dignity.There’s no more powerful demonstration of the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on our community than the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which was inaugurally displayed on October 11, 1987 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. Recently, the National AIDS Memorial has become the permanent caretaker and steward of the Quilt, returning it to San Francisco where its story began.
This Sunday, May 9, tune into our curated#WalkItOut playlist, and take a stroll from 11am-2pm down to the Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa! There, you’ll find exclusive pop-up displays highlighting panels of the Quilt, hosted by the National AIDS Memorial. Come see a piece of the premiere symbol of the AIDS pandemic and a living memorial to a generation lost.
| UPCOMING EVENTS(more info below) May 6 – Beyond the Binary: Gender & Pronouns with Suzanne FordMay 20 – Understanding DementiasMay 26 – Over the Moon celebration*Every Mon. & Thu. – Spahr Senior GroupsEvery Tue. – Trans/Non-Binary Support Group * Social Committee Event |
| Covid-19 News for Seniors(see below) For the first time in a long time, I feel comfortable dropping the Covid News section down lower in these emails. We are not out of the pandemic yet, much is still uncertain, and yet all the seniors I’m in touch with are now vaccinated and seem to be educated about continued precautions. For more on continued precautions, click here. May we all be safe & well! Bill Blackburn |
| 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 Thursdays12:30 to 2 pm April 29 What Is Missing in Modern Life? We rely on zoom to meet during the pandemic. (What would we do without zoom?) Modern medicine makes our lives better. We are surrounded by conveniences we couldn’t have imagined in our youth. Yet some things have been lost in the translation to now. What would benefit us and our world that those modern conveniences have displaced? And is there a way we can find them again if we try? May 6 Beyond the Binary:Gender and PronounsMost of us grew up in a culture that claimed there were only two genders – female and male – and each came with expected behavior patterns, even though most of us didn’t fit into those narrow confines. Join us on May 6th when we’llbe joined by Suzanne Ford, the President of The Spahr Center Board of Directors, to talk about the ways people are breaking free of that gender binary and the freedom of expression that comes along with it. There may even be some liberation that comes to the rest of us though their pushing the boundaries. And yes! We’ll learn about those seemingly-tricky pronouns that will help us better interrelate with youth and others who express themselves beyond the binary! Coming soon: May 13: Nancy FacilitatesMay 20: Understanding Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias Conversational Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening from our hearts and deepening community. |
| 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. On May 26, they bring us an Over the Moon Celebration, a cocktail/mocktail and appetizer zoom group honoring the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse. More information soon. To sign up for their emails, click here. To see the Social Committee’s April Calendar, click: here.Watch for their calendar for May soon! |
| Men and Boys Mental HealthA Focus Group InvitationMen, you can help Marin County gain deeper understanding of how to structure mental health resources for us by participating in a 1-hour focus group:Ages 65+, Tuesday May 25 @ 4 pm << Note new date!Ages 45 to 64, Monday April 26 @ 6 pm Community participants will get a $25 gift card. By adding our voices, we will ensure that Gay, Bi and Transmen’s needs & perspectives be part of the response.Contact: kconnors@marincounty.org << Corrected address |
 |
| Covid-19 News for Seniors BEWARE POST-VACCINATION SCAMS!Scams offering monetary and gift rewards for those taking post-vaccination surveys are efforts to fraudulently gather personal information such as credit card numbers. Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J are NOT sending out these offers. Avoid them! |
| FEMA Assistance Programs Related To Covid-19:FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. (No income- or citizenship-related requirements.) Call 844/684-6333. More info here. Free legal assistance to low-income people affected by the pandemic includes help with hospital bills, estate administration, problems with landlords, and much more. Call 888/382-3406. More info here. |
| Do you know people who may need help making an appointment for vaccines, especially if they are not online or need multi-lingual or transportation help? Please let them know of this resource:Marin Access Services Call Center1 (833) 641-1988CA Relay use 711 |
| Caregivers and family caregivers of seniors are now eligible to be vaccinated. Let me know of these situations – bblackburn@thespahrcenter – and I can send a letter to qualify them for inoculations now, even if they don’t currently meet other qualifications for the shots. |
 |
 |
| 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 |
 |
| 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 |
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
***************************
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 |
