We invite you to join Santa Rosa Gaydar at Broadway Under the Stars this summer for Transcendence’s production of “Those Dancin’ Feet” on Friday, August 23rd.You’re invited to a night of friends, wine, picnicking, vineyards, memories, breathtaking beauty and amazing talent you’ll never forget at Broadway Under the Stars in Sonoma Valley.The event begins with picnicking on the great lawn alongside the park’s sprawling vineyards. Here you’ll enjoy local pours from numerous Sonoma wineries, food from local vendors and pre-show music….
Transmission offers retreats for trans masculine, non binary, genderqueer and gender non-conforming people (AFAB) in beautiful locations in wooded northern California. Our gatherings include peer-led workshops and activities designed to support community.
Gathering for trans folks and more
Date: Aug 22-25 (4 days, 3 nights) Time: Thurs 4 pm – Sun 2 pm Location: Saratoga Springs, Upper Lake, CA
General Registration is open! One note: We still have some space, so people of color and those with disabilities will be immediately registered if placed on the waitlist.
This is our 5th annual summer gathering … heart circles, hiking, journaling, workshops, swimming, community discussions, music, laughter, fresh cooked meals … and 60 trans masculine folks!
We’ll spend 4 days/3 nights enjoying interactive workshops, fun activities, and friendship. If workshops aren’t your thing, take a dip in the pool, go for a hike, make music with friends, or just hang out.
We’ll sleep in shared cabins and bunk rooms, or you can bring your own tent or RV (sorry, no RV hookups at this site).
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If you’re feeling social, you’re sure to make friends. If you need some alone time, the beautiful natural setting provides plenty of space for solitude and contemplation.
Come connect with community, relax, and have fun. You can attend workshops all day, check out one or two, or skip them altogether. If you’re feeling social, there are be plenty of folks to connect with. If you’d rather have quiet time, the woods await you. It’s all good.
Transmission is not-for-profit and produced entirely by volunteers (we have no paid staff). Registration fees offsets our costs for renting retreat sites, providing meals, and paying recurring costs (website, software, bookkeeping, event insurance, etc). Donations allow us to offer scholarships.
The group’s mission is to help trans masculine folks deepen their self-confidence, friendships, and community connections. Our heart-centered retreats are affirming and fun! And in support of our community, Transmission is substance free, scent free, and tech free.
Transmission is inclusive in terms of race, ethnicity, trans masculine gender identity, presentation style, body type, age (18+), and sexual orientation. We ask everyone to commit to kindness and respect so we all feel safe and included.
Team Face to Face and I – Grace Villafuerte – are hosting a fundraiser in honor of my late partner, Lynn Campanario!
August 3rd – Saturday
1-5ish pm
2707 Claremont Drive
Santa Rosa
LIVE MUSIC ~ SILENT AUCTION ~ RAFFLE ~ FOOD ~ BACKYARD SHENANIGANS AND GAMES ~ A PET CHICKEN 🙂
Sliding Scale Donation: $10 — $10,000 – via donating to my SF AIDS Walk Fundraising page online or at the party sf.aidswalk.net/LynnStrong
Check out this shindig from 2017: youtube.com/watch?v=ZLGNTGY-_vg Please let me know if you can help with acquiring Silent Auction or Raffle Items!!!
Lynn dedicated her life to her work with HIV/AIDS clients and advocating for needed programs. Lynn began her involvement and commitment to HIV/AIDS work in the early 1980’s, having lost a close college friend to AIDS, who had isolated himself from his friends due to the stigma around the illness. She experienced and recognized early on the lack of understanding of both the virus, and the equally important need for emotional support and acceptance for those affected by HIV. Lynn worked for years with the Center for Disease Control in the HIV/AIDS department, and she spoke constantly (CONSTANTLY!) of how this work affected her continuing years of advocacy, understanding of policy and procedural development, and respectful interaction with clients in ALL community circles. As sooo many have said, one of the things that stands out about Lynn’s work, is her ability to understand how to appropriately meet community needs, her brilliance in being able to develop a path to meet these needs, and her compassion and patience that brought so many community members together to fulfill these needs. Even as a Director, Lynn insisted on continuing to volunteer at DAAC’s Needle Exchange, which she initially began doing in the 90’s.
Locally, Lynn worked with DAAC for years with HIV clients, and she greatly influenced HIV services in Sonoma County. Shortly before her passing, Lynn was SOO excited to become a Board Member for Face to Face, after having working in collaboration for numerous years. She felt a heightened sense of obligation and commitment to raise funds for the amazing programs of Face to Face. Since her passing, Lynn has been awarded two Gold Resolutions from the Board of Supervisors for her contributions improving our community – specifically with homeless and HIV programs. She was also given SAINTHOOD by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, for her HIV work. SAINT LYNNSTRONG.
Lynn left a legacy to ALWAYS try to do MORE than your share in your community, and emphasized the BELIEF that it is a privilege to be able to help others.
PLEASE help me raise my goal of $8,000 for our SF AIDS Walk – I truly believe one day Face to Face will stop the spread of HIV in Sonoma County!
one more time… Please let me know if you can help with acquiring Silent Auction or Raffle Items!!!
Register Your Support for State Legislation to Train Teachers on LGBTQ Issues The cornerstone of The Spahr Center’s work on LGBTQ Youth issues is a focus on building a safe and supportive environment in schools. We believe that, if teachers, administrators and support staff receive effective training about how to work well with LGBTQ students, we can lower current dropout rates and bullying. Our remarkable Youth Advocacy Coalition has trained 800 educators in the last two years, and is currently preparing to train additional teachers and administrators when school opens in the Fall.
Openly gay State Assembly member Todd Gloria has introduced AB 493 to assure increased training of educators on LGBTQ issues statewide. Existing law establishes the policy of the State of California to afford all people in public schools, regardless of their disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other specified characteristic, equal rights and opportunities in educational institutions. AB 493 would require every school to provide online training at least once every 2 years to teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12, and to all other certificated employees at that school, on schoolsite and community resources for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) pupils, and strategies to increase support for LGBTQ pupils in order to improve overall school climate.
The Spahr Center prefers in-person training of educators on LGBTQ issues to online training, but nevertheless believes that AB 493 represents a big leap forward in building more supportive school environments for our youth. We encourage Spahrkle readers to help secure the bill’s passage. The bill has passed the Assembly on a vote of 61 to 0, receiving bipartisan support. It is now being heard in the State Senate, where pushback from groups opposed to LGBTQ rights is strong. Please call Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove today at (916) 651-4016, and ask her to assure passage of this important civil rights legislation.
The Spahr Center is Speaking Up About Our Clients’ Needs Before Marin Government. Can You Help on August 19?
The Spahr Center is increasing its presence before Marin County Boards and Commissions, as well as with Department leadership, to educate public policy makers about the needs of LGBTQ youth and seniors, as well as people living with HIV, and encourage increased County support for our work. We are also participating in two processes this summer that will help the County to establish strategic direction and allocate funding for senior, mental health, substance abuse and community development programs. On August 19, the Commission on Aging is holding a listening session in Tam Valley to hear the concerns of seniors living in this southern portion of the County. If you are a senior living in Strawberrry, Homestead or Tam Valley, we encourage you to attend and speak up! Time and location are being determined. Email dvangorder@thespahrcenter.org to sign up, and Dana will make sure you receive all the detail about this important meeting.
THE CAUSE TO BE PROUD CAMPAIGN WAS A GREAT SUCCESS! Thank you to our many donors!The Spahr Center’s Cause To Be Proud fundraising campaign kicked off on March 1st with a direct mail campaign, and continued through June 30th, with our Pride Picnic pulling up the rear. We are thrilled to report the following: On April 18th we participated in a national fundraising event, Give OUT Day, which is the only day of dedicated giving for the LGBTQ+ community. Our loyal friends and supporters did not disappoint, donating a total of $5,043 in a 24-hour period! Next, we held a fundraiser at Falkirk Cultural Center on June 10th that re-introduced our supporters and new allies to our life-affirming work. The event was a definite success. We heard moving stories from some of our clients and participants about how The Spahr Center has been crucial to their well-being, raffled off five beautiful artworks, and enjoyed a charming evening among friends! At Falkirk, we announced a fantastic $5,000 grant from long-time supporters Miguel Ruelas and Sid Hartman, with a challenge to triple that gift – which we easily accomplished. It is because of your care and support that we were able to exceed our goal for Cause to be Proud. When all was said and done, the entire campaign brought in a whopping $40,797.20! This helped us to end our fiscal year on June 30 with a small surplus of funds that give us a nice head start on a new year of fundraising. We can’t thank our many donors enough for their commitment to The Spahr Center’s important mission.
Announcing Marin Sister Talk, a New Discussion Group for Women Over 50The Spahr Center is pleased to announce that a new 8-session women’s discussion group will be starting in September on Saturday afternoons. Here are the essentials: Who: Marin County women over 50 who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or transgender/non-binary What: Topics will be suggested by the group and may include themes such as creating community, the dating scene, or dealing with grief and loss, with an emphasis on how we can support one another in finding fulfillment in this phase of our lives When: Saturday afternoons, 3:00 – 4:30 pm, twice a month, beginning in September (dates TBA) Where: The Spahr Center – 150 Nellen Avenue, Corte Madera Facilitator: Laura Fannon, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist Participants: Maximum of 15 participants, pre-registration required Cost: There is no cost to participate, though donations are welcome To register, or for more information, call (628) 214-8939 or send an email to sistertalk@thespahrcenter.org
Thriving in Marin! The Spahr Center’s HIV Long-term Survivors Support Group By Will Boemer, Group FacilitatorIn December 2017, The Spahr Center re-started a support group for HIV Long-term survivors similar to one that had run for many years, and since its start, we’ve had some 50 clients involved. The former group was facilitated by new Spahr board member, and current support group member, Bobby Moske. Recognizing that anyone living with HIV or AIDS has lived through some frightening personal times the group meets to talk through many life issues and topics, some HIV-related and others not. In an effort to acknowledge the successes we have had over the years, both individually and as an aging HIV populace, we are still very much aware of our issues and challenges – but work to put these in perspective. Group participants can’t have survived all the “slings and arrows” of HIV/AIDS for years (and decades for many of us!) without having had some very successful survival strategies and experiences! And so, our name is now The Spahr Center’s HIV Long-Term Survivors Support Group – Thriving in Marin, and our new motto is “Striving to THRIVE in spite of it ALL!” As facilitator of this support group, I look forward to hearing from any and all HIV-positive Spahr Center clients who wish to participate in our gatherings. We meet twice per month, on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings, from 6:30-8 pm, at The Spahr Center located at 150 Nellen Avenue in Corte Madera. If you have questions or concerns I can be reached at willabo@pacbell.net
ARE YOU AN LGBTQ VETERAN? We Recruit!
LGBTQ Veterans of the North Bay are forming a social organization that advocates, educates and has fun. We believe we are Stronger Together. We have an opportunity to foster camaraderie, learn, grow and heal by sharing our stories and resources. Those of us believing that “We’re Not Done Yet” can serve our communities in a variety of ways, such as reading to a veteran in hospice, or driving someone to a medical appointment). This will be a membership driven organization, built from the ground up, with a first organizing meeting on September 28th in the Community Room at the Corte Madera Towne Center. We are nonpartisan, but will educate and advocate for the full recognition and equal protection of all LGBTQ Veterans and Servicemembers. Look for our booth at the MarinVolunteer Fair on September 7th, 11 am-2 pm (Children’s Island at Marin Civic Center.) For more information, please contact Anders Winther at gaypatriotveteran@gmail.com or (415) 408-6078.
Senior LGBTQ LuncheonOur next LGBTQ Senior (all ages welcome!) Luncheon is just a few weeks away! We’ll be having an “end of summer” BBQ at the the beautiful Marin Yacht Club. Join us for a wonderful lunch among friends on Wednesday, August 28th from 12:30 pm – 3 pm. Don’t forget to bring your loose change and put it into one of BUDWING’s World Banks! He will double or triple your contribution and all proceeds will go towards our Senior Program Fund. Please RSVP by Friday, August 23rd to Bri at bsilva@thespahrcenter.org or give her a call at 415-886-8554(please advise in your RSVP if you have any dietary restrictions)
AIDS Walk May Have Been Cold and Foggy, But Our Hearts Were Warm – And There’s still time to contributeBy Andy FyneIt was a chilly, foggy and windy morning in Golden Gate Park as the kick off ceremony began for this year’s AIDS Walk on July 14. However, the Spahr Center’s team warmed up in no time as we started our annual 10K walk. We finished the morning, still in dense fog, but with bodies and hearts warmed by the dedication of the group. Also heartwarming was the fact that we raised $13,741 to benefit our HIV/AIDS programming. Each team member who sent an email to their friends and family members raised, on average, $1250. That’s amazing, though not entirely surprising because each member believes deeply in The Spahr Center’s mission. Each member composed a fundraising email about why our programs and services are so important to them. That’s the type of appeal that gets results. My email was about our goal to get to zero new HIV infections and zero deaths from HIV disease in Marin. That is a powerful message, not just because it is important to me personally, but because we can achieve this awesome goal with sufficient resources and energy. And when my friends, acquaintances and family members read how important ending HIV is to me, they responded generously. If you missed making a donation, our 11 team members can still collect funds until August 9. We would appreciate a generous gift that will move us closer to our 2019 goal of $16,000. That, by the way, is another awesome goal we can achieve. Please click the button below to donate directly to any of the team members you would like, and celebrate the reasons why The Spahr Center is important to you.
Support GroupsThe Spahr Center offers a variety of social support groups. Below is a list of the groups, with a short description. Please click any of the groups to learn more!
HIV Groups Latino Support Group – this group is for Latinos living with or affected by HIV. Women’s Support Group – this group is for women living with or affected by HIV. Thriving in Marin – this group is for any individual who identifies as a “long-term survivor” of HIV.LGBTQ Groups Caregiver Groups – these groups are for parents/caregivers of gender expansive and/or questioning youth Youth Drop-in Groups – these groups are for any LGBTQ youth Senior Discussion Groups – these are facilitated discussion groups for LGBTQ identified adults of any age. Men’s Brown Bag Lunch – this is a casual discussion group for men that meet for lunch and discussion.
The Billy community refers to a network of hundreds of (mostly) gay and bi men who love to get together in nature. Some of us live in the country and others of us would like to. All of us enjoy the outdoors and a retreat in nature.
We tend not to be “mainstream” and include a diverse range of ages, body types, ethnic backgrounds, occupations, beliefs and interests. Some of us are single, some partnered; some have HIV, some don’t. Most of us live in Northern California but many Billys travel far to bring their fabulousness to a gathering.
We are a participatory community – Billys make Billy events happen.
We encourage creativity and playfulness and offer a multitude of ways for Billys to express themselves during a gathering.
We often gather in circles where everyone is equal. Our favorite is the daily Heart Circle when we come together to witness one another and share from our hearts. We find this ritual binds us together in a deep brotherhood. Though participation is optional, most Billys find this is the one activity they just can’t miss.
Some of us wear fanciful clothes or jeans and T’s; others wear as little as possible.
Lots of us have a spiritual practice, and this spirit manifests in many different ways: Eco-spiritualists, Episcopal, Jewish, Sufi, and Buddhist, for starters, and plenty of non-believers in the mix, too.
Mostly, we enjoy each other’s company and the things we co-create when we bring our energy and talents together. We put on six gatherings throughout the years, every two months, at beautiful, rustic rural retreat centers. Come help us make magic.
Check out this video of Billys speaking about Billy gatherings:
The mission of the Billys is to foster community, intimacy, and personal exploration among gay, bi, and queer men through shared values and heart-centered brotherhood.
We are a heart-centered community woven together by shared values and by our shared experience as gay, bi, and queer men. We strive to be present and mindful with ourselves and each other and to foster:
Compassion, generosity, honesty, and respect for ourselves and for others.
Responsibility for ourselves, to each other, and to our community, including those in need.
Personal expression and growth.
Fun, frolic, and fabulousness.
Celebration of our sexual and spiritual natures.
An environment conducive to our physical, emotional, and sexual health, safety, and well-being.
Welcoming and active integration of new Billys as well as openness to friends and family who share our values.
Diversity that embraces differences including race and ethnicity, class, age, body type, HIV status, physical ability, education, and financial circumstances; we welcome gay- identified transmen.
The building of bridges to other communities that support our mission and share our values.
Authenticity.
Reverence for nature.
Commitment to resolving conflict through active engagement.
We encourage ourselves to be present and mindful by advocating an environment free of drugs and alcohol at our gatherings.
We envision the creation of a world based on principles of nonviolence, sustainability, cooperation, service, and the building of deeper wisdom through shared perspective.
Heart Circle is our central ritual and consensus is our process; they embody our values.
What is the Billy Foundation?
The Billy Foundation is a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status, guided by a Board of Directors that meets monthly to steer the growth of the organization. Through this Foundation, we produce six large gatherings each year and administer the Billy Emergency Support Fund, which grants emergency assistance to Billys, and people living with HIV disease in Mendocino, Lake, and southern Humboldt counties. Our Richard Locke Scholarship Fund defrays the costs of gatherings for those who attend. We also support Billy community events like potlucks.
Food For Thought, a nonprofit providing healing food and nutrition services to Sonoma County residents living with serious illnesses, announces it will close its retail store Food For Thought Antiques, Gifts, and Garden on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. The store is no longer accepting donations.
Located in the heart of Sonoma County’s Antique Row in Sebastopol, Food For Thought Antiques currently offers storewide price reductions of 10–50 percent. A closing sale offering steep discounts begins Friday, July 26. Shoppers can check Food For Thought Antique’s Facebook page for sale updates.
Well-known for its expansive and eclectic inventory, the store has a delightful collection of Victorian, retro, vintage, boho, upcycled, traditional, and nontraditional items, including furniture, rugs, home accessories, jewelry, art, books, and more. A whimsical outdoor area highlights treasures for yard, garden, and patio.
The store’s knowledgeable staff and volunteers will be on hand daily 11 a .m.–5 p.m. to help shopp ers
make the perfect selection of both new and used items.
According to Food For Thought Executive Director Ron Karp, the store was bequeathed to the agency in 2007 by longtime donor and volunteer Randall Johnson. “Our retail team has curated and managed this generous gift as a labor of love,” Karp says. “We are grateful to all of our staff and volunteers, whose efforts with the store have earned us much community goodwill and recognition.”
The store’s closure coincides with the end of its current lease and allows Food For Thought to remain focused on expanding food and nutrition services to Sonoma County residents living with illness.
Food For Thought Antiques, Gifts, and Garden
2701 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol, CA 95472
Phone:
(707) 823-3101
https://www.fftfoodbank.org/shop/
https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtAntiques/
Hours: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. every day
About Food For Thought – Founded in 1988, Food For Thought is a nonprofit located in Forestville, CA, that provides healing nutrition and compassion to 875 people affected by serious illnesses in Sonoma County. The organization’s life-sustaining services are available at no charge to qualified clients and homeless individuals who are at risk of malnutrition. With the help of 500 dedicated volunteers, Food For Thought provides its clients with over 300,000 healthy meals per year, plus nutrition counseling, on-site cooking classes, a weekly hot lunch program, and an organic gardening project. Our services eliminate food insecurity, reduce hospital visits and medical expenses, and improve our clients’ health and quality of life. The agency advocates that nutritious food be recognized by the medical system as an essential component of health care.
When: Saturday, July 13; 6:30-10 p.m.Where: 167 N High Street, Sebastopol Senior CenterWhat: LGBQTI & Friends Dance Party Come be dazzled and energized by outstanding dance music, bling, with wild & beautiful summer beach decorations in every room.
Fortune Tellers, Card Readers and Palm Readers are available to delight you.
Beer and Wine for sale $5. Non-alcoholic beverages for sale also.
$12 in advance; $15 at the door Food included; no host bar Wear your summer beach bling! Dance the night away, DJ BearCake is spinning fabulous hits from the 1960s (and more)!
WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS! We would LOVE to have your help! Call 707-829-2440, ask for Scotty
Friday, July 12: 2:30 – 6 PM We need help putting up decorations. Come for 30 minutes or more during this time. Let us know if you can come: 707-829-2440 x103Saturday, July 13: 10-2 PM We need help putting up decorations! Come for 30 minutes or more during this time. Let us know if you can come: 707-829-2440×103Saturday 6:30 PM to 10 PM (During the Dance) We need help in these areas: -Food prep -Fill Water Pitchers -Front Door, Check in Guests -Bar support, restocking -Bling Table, help decorate folks -Offer to take photos with guests’ cameraSaturday 10 PM Cleanup/take down
Every day, 50-75 Sonoma County children and teens need a safe place to live in our community. There’s an URGENT NEED for foster parents and adoptive families to open their homes to local foster children and give them a place they can feel safe, wanted and loved.
You can:
· Provide a temporary home as an emergency foster parent or foster parent,
· Foster parent a child with the potential of adoption, or
· Rent out a room and act as a mentor to an older foster youth going to school or working.
Learn about whether foster parenting is right for you at Explore Foster Parenting, a one-hour discussion held monthly, 6-7 p.m., at 2255 Challenger Way, Suite 100, Santa Rosa. Dates for 2019 are: June 24, July 22, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Nov. 25 and Dec. 16. For information and to reserve a seat, call (707) 565-4274.
Hear from experienced foster parents and local foster care agencies, including the Sonoma County Human Services Department Family, Youth and Children’s Division, TLC Child & Family Services,Alternative Family Services, Lilliput Families and Seneca. Learn about the different types of foster parents, so you can choose what could work for your family.
For more about becoming a Sonoma County foster parent, visit sonomafostercare.org.
The Queer Asylum Accompaniment team is looking for volunteers to assist new arrivals from the border. We are in the process of receiving two people soon! Volunteering would look like: bus training, social/entertainment assists (do stuff), drivers, media/fundraising, court accompaniment, shopping and tour guides. All are welcome, Spanish Speakers make a big difference. Maybe an hour or two every other week, depending on our numbers. If you’re interested contact me, Anita, at stormsx11@yahoo.com (QAA in the subject line) or text (707) 799-0109 We also need more sponsors!
Positive Images 200 Montgomery Dr Suite C Santa Rosa
“This training provides an opportunity for LGBTQ community members to learn to identify what makes a relationship healthy. By understanding what makes a relationship healthy, participants can better identify risk of violence or coercive behavior.”
https://www.facebook.com/events/636767583401696/
Intimate Partner Violence in LGBTQ Communities
Wednesday July 10th from 1-5pm
La Plaza at Lincoln Elementary 850 West 9th St, Santa Rosa
“This training provides an opportunity for service providers to learn about the dynamics of intimate partner violence that are specific to LGBTQ communities and the need for specialized services for LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence. Participants will learn to understand intimate partner violence in LGBTQ communities in terms of the workings of heterosexism and cissexism, as well as how to better identify and support LGBTQ survivors in interactive activities. This training will also provide a brief introduction into the importance of screening and assessment, as well as tools and resources for providing culturally accessible and affirming services and support for LGBTQ survivors.”
https://www.facebook.com/events/2259419960986981/
Please join us for both of these wonderful trainings! Follow the links to learn more information. We’ve attached fliers for next week’s trainings and invite you to share it with anyone you think would be interested!
If you haven’t joined our Facebook group yet, please do so! We are hoping this will be an easy way to share information and announcements in the coming months. You can join the group here:
