February 5, 2024
Greetings community,
Happy Black History Month!
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| We hope that this month is reflective, educational, inspires you dig deeper about history, is celebratory and filled with joy. In February, we also celebrate love in all its different forms. We invite you to celebrate self-love in addition to the other forms of love you might have in your life.
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| “One of the best guides to how to be self-loving is to give ourselves the love we are often dreaming about receiving from others. There was a time when I felt lousy about my over-forty body, saw myself as too fat, too this, or too that. Yet I fantasized about finding a lover who would give me the gift of being loved as I am. It is silly, isn't it, that I would dream of someone else offering to me the acceptance and affirmation I was withholding from myself. This was a moment when the maxim "You can never love anybody if you are unable to love yourself" made clear sense. And I add, "Do not expect to receive the love from someone else you do not give yourself.”
Bell Hooks, All About Love: New Visions
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| | Vision Board event co-hosted with CORA
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| Thank you to everyone who came to our special vision board event last month! It was amazing to share in a creative space with community. We are hoping to have more events like this in the future. Stay tuned for that information.
Thank you to CORA for co-hosting this event with us. Scroll down to learn about the other program that we're co-hosting with CORA this month.
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| We hope to see you at our special programs this month.
Scroll down to learn more about these offerings.
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Special Programming in February
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We hope you can join us THIS FRIDAY, February 9 for a screening of the seminal LGBTQ+ Film, Paris is Burning. We are excited to welcome our co-host Mariposa Outreach and our very special guests, The Divine Kiki House of Celine, who will lead a Q&A following the screening.
Community members are encouraged to dress to the nines or as your most confident self!
This event is free and open to the public. Light snacks will be provided. Doors open at 5:30 and the movie will start at 6pm.
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Who are our special guests?
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Mariposa Outreach
Mariposa Outreach was founded by Venus Itzuri, a first-generation Mexican-American woman of trans experience. Born and raised in East Palo Alto, as a young trans woman, she realized there was nowhere local for someone like her or queer identifying folks could seek resources and safety. Established in the summer of 2023, Mariposa Outreach is an up and coming organization aiming to foster a safe and inclusive space for QTBIPOC youth in the East Palo Alto community and surrounding areas, the first in the area. Curating the first Pride Celebration in East Palo Alto with support from the community, Mariposa Outreach is looking forward to keep making a difference in the community and making EPA Pride an annual celebration.
Be sure to follow Mariposa Outreach on Instagram to stay current on all their updates: instagram.com/mariposaoutreach/
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Divine Kiki House of Celine
With the intention of building chosen family, the Divine Kiki House of Celine was established in 2022 in San Francisco, California. Because of this, the Celine’s strive to cultivate a space where feminine essence, unapologetic joy, & community service by way of mutual aid are prioritized within its core values. While the house does pride itself on being comprised of multifaceted artists with a diversity of talents, at the forefront of it all is the deep family connection and dedication that each Celine has to one another. Ultimately, the House of Celine has always, and will always, be built on love.
Be sure to follow The Divine Kiki House of Celine on Instagram to stay current on all their updates:
instagram.com/kikihouseofceline/
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To register to attend and to read a full description of the film, including content warnings, please click the button below
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| | | The 2nd Annual Pride Prom will be held Friday, February 23, 2024 at the College of San Mateo.
Once again this year we will provide an inclusive, safe, welcoming, night to remember for our youth in San Mateo County. This event will celebrate and uplift LGBTQIA+ young people and advocate for the sustained and continued efforts in our County to build places where youth are seen and supported in environments free from hate and discrimination.
Registration closes on February 11: www.smuhsd.org/prideprom
If you have questions or would like to sponsor or volunteer at this event to support the success of this event, please contact Holly Wade, hawade@smuhsd.org.
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| You deserve healthy relationships.
Join us in 2024 for QT Healthy Relationships, a free weekly workshop series co-hosted by CORA and the San Mateo County Pride Center. This is a rare opportunity to participate in a free workshop specifically tailored for LGBTQ+ Community members and our unique experiences.
This group is for folks 18+.
It's important to note that "relationships" doesn't exclusively mean "romantic relationships". What you can take away from these workshops can be applied to interpersonal relationships of all types : friendships, work, community building, family and more.
This series of 6 classes will introduce topics and discussions like values, expectations & negotiation in relationships, the importance of accountability and setting boundaries, and how to resolve conflict in healthy ways.
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| | This workshop series will now take place on Zoom
with a new start date of Wednesday, February 7.
QT Healthy Relationships will take place on Wednesdays from 5-6:30 PM
If you are interested in registering or have questions, please contact:
Contact Elliana (she/they) at EllianaW@corasupport.org or 650-935-1129 or
Katrina (she/her) at Katrina.Maple@sanmateopride.org
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Black History Month Celebration - African Americans and the Arts - Wellness Event
Date
Saturday, February 17 from 10-3 PM
Location
Eastside College Preparatory School
1041 Mytrle Street, East Palo Alto 94303
This is a free community event with a resource fair, speakers, health and wellness checks and free lunch.
This event is hosted by the African American Community Initiative.
Register using this link: surveymonkey.com/r/AACI-2023-24
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| The San Mateo Pride Center is excited to be able to offer a variety of trainings and educational opportunities! Please see below for the trainings that we currently provide and reach out to Ishani Dugar (they/xe)
at ishani.dugar@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133 with any questions.
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Exploring Our Roots: Unpacking Bias in Order to Grow
It’s human nature to make assumptions about people, identities, and communities. We move through the world with ongoing assumptions and belief systems unknowingly. Supported by Kaiser Permanente, each training will create a carefully guided environment, allowing the work to begin to unpack our own internalized myths, ask ourselves where they come from, and examine the roots of their inheritance. By providing interactive activities, discussion time, and videos, the Pride Center will hold space for healing dialogue to help us all shift our assumptions and biases toward truth. All trainings will be capped at a 50-person maximum to foster a safe and grounding experience for all.
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| | | Pronouns 101
Have you ever asked yourself “did I use the ‘correct’ pronoun for that person”? This Pronouns 101 workshop will help you feel more comfortable in any situation! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to safely ask someone their pronouns, break down neo pronouns and experience a safe space to ask your questions about pronouns. Through interactive videos, participant engagement, and pronoun use practice, we will help you become a pro at pronouns!
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| SOGIE 101
In this SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression) training, we cover the basic terminology for sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation through engaging videos, matching games, and polls. We also touch on extended topics like gender-neutral language, pronouns, and cultural humility. After every training, we provide extensive resources either highlighted in or similar to the content in our training.
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| | | Trans* 101
Interested to learn more about relevant and pressing issues the Trans*, Non-Binary and Gender Diverse communities face? This training offers in-depth conversations on topics such as bathroom issues and transphobia. We then conclude this training with tips and tricks on how to be an advocate for the Trans* community.
Please note that we do charge a fee for our trainings! Please use the QR Codes below to visit our training page or sign up for a training session via our interest form. We look forward to working with you!
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| Please note that we do charge a fee for our trainings! Please visit our training page or sign up for a training session via our interest form. We look forward to working with you!
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Los niños forman conceptos fundamentales sobre género, amor y familia antes de los cinco años. Crear entornos inclusivos es esencial a medida que los niños forman sentido de quiénes son, a quién pueden amar y qué constituye una familia. Al comprender las temas relacionadas con el género y la orientación sexual y apoyar a los niños de manera afirmativa, les damos la libertad de explorar sus identidades verdaderas y un mundo diverso desde un inicio.
Durante este seminario web gratuito de 90 minutos en Español, las facilitadoras Jennifer Ventura (Especialista y Consultora de la Primera Infancia) y Tania Cisneros-Ventura (Educadora Infantil y Terapeuta Familiar) ofrecen info, estrategias y recursos apropiados para la edad de los niños, con ejemplos y actividades relevantes para compartir ideas de cómo apoyar a los niños pequeños. Los temas incluyen aprender las identidades LGBTQ+ y términos, practicar pronombres y lenguaje inclusivo, gestionar los mensajes diarios sobre género, amor y familia, y el poder de la afirmación.
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| Children form foundational concepts about gender, love and family before the age of five. Creating inclusive environments is essential as young children form their senses of who they are, whom they can love & what makes a family. By understanding issues related to gender and sexual orientation & supporting children in affirming ways, we give them the freedom to explore their true identities & a diverse world from the beginning.
During this free 90 minute webinar in Spanish, facilitators Jennifer Ventura (Early Childhood Specialist and Consultant) & Tania Cisneros-Ventura (Childhood Educator and Family Therapist) offer age-appropriate info, strategies, & resources with relatable examples & activities to share ideas about how to support young children. Topics include understanding LGBTQ+ identities & terms, practicing pronouns and inclusive language, managing daily messages about gender, love & family, & the power of affirmation.
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| Fechas de entrenamiento 2024/2024 training dates: 2/13, 3/21, 4/17, 4/24
registrar aquí /register here:
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Perpetually Multisexual - A group for our Bi+ Community Members
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"Perpetually Multisexual" is An 8 week therapy group led by trained therapists for people 18 or older who identify as bi-, pan-, ambi-, omni-, or multi- sexual or who are romantically or physically attracted to more than one gender.
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| Multisexual folks may face many unique challenges including:
- Erasure of their identities - “You’re just straight or gay”
- Making incorrect assumptions about what it means to be multisexual
- Forms of discrimination specific to multisexuality such as not wanting to date someone who is multisexual or not trusting them
The San Mateo County Pride Center is offering a safer space maintained by trained mental health professionals who can help navigate difficult and delicate conversations, address triggers or conflicts as they arise during sessions, and teach and incorporate mental health coping skills, so you can share the impacts of all of the above and find more comfort with who you are and how you show up in the world.
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| When:
Tuesdays starting March 19 - May 14 at 5:30-7:00pm PST in-person at the San Mateo County Pride Center
Cost:
$20/session, sliding scale spaces also available. Connect with us about potential billing options.
Hosted by: Jessica Gugg, AMFT, APCC (She/they) Drae (Andrea) Roth, AMFT#117800, APCC#7800 (She/hers) Supervised by John Thompson, LCSW #77891
Questions?
Contact us at drae@sanmateopride.org & jessica.gugg@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133
Register by February 25 using this link: https://tinyurl.com/perpetuallymultisexual
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Ready for the Return of Community Hikes?
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Spring into a new season by joining us on Friday, March 1st from 6pm-8pm at San Pedro Valley Park in Pacifica! Join the San Mateo County Parks Foundation, San Mateo County Pride Center, and San Mateo County Parks as we learn about San Pedro Valleys' animal nightlife and history of the park. Flashlights are recommended but NOT required. Meals will not be provided and we encourage all attendees to wear extra clothing layers for the breeze. For more information about the trail we will take, visit: https://www.smcgov.org/parks/trail/weiler-ranch-road.
Spaces are LIMITED, RSVP ASAP at tinyurl.com/HiketheNightAway or click the button below.
Please note that due to parking limitations, we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE CARPOOLING with community members! Please let us know if transportation support is needed. For any questions or concerns regarding the event, please contact Adriana Arriaga at adriana@supportparks.org and Elana Ron at elana.ron@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133.
For more information about San Mateo County's various parks, visit: https://supportparks.org.
For accessibility & COVID safety information, see registration link.
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San Mateo County Pride 2024: Love at Our Core, Pride in 2024
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Save the date for San Mateo County Pride 2024-
Saturday, June 8 from 11-5 PM in Central Park in San Mateo.
Stay tuned for more information! If you are interested in volunteering or organizing at San Mateo Pride, please contact theractivist@gmail.com or call 650-591-0133.
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Openings for Mental Health Services at the Pride Center
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We have therapy openings for self-pay clients. Sliding scale is available (with income verification). Services are available hybrid, onsite or exclusively virtual.
Services are available to clients located in California. Priority is given to LGBTQ+ community members based in San Mateo County. If you are interested in receiving mental health services, please fill out our online Clinical Services Request Form at https://sanmateopride.org/mental-health-services-2.
The Pride Center provides LGBTQ+-affirmative therapy within a strengths-based and person-centered framework. And all our clinicians have LGBTQ+ lived and/or work experience.
Our clinical team looks forward to meeting you and learning how we can support you on your mental health journey!
Currently, clinical services are only provided in english.
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| | If you have questions, please contact clinical@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133
To learn more about the mental health services provided by the San Mateo County Pride Center, please click this link or the button below
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Come Volunteer with the Pride Center!
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Would you like to volunteer with the Pride Center? We never underestimate the value of donated time, and neither should you! Are you interested and available to give back? If so, please consider some of the possibilities listed below.
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Virtual and onsite volunteer roles with the Pride Center include, but are not limited to:
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If you’re interested in learning more about these or any other opportunities, reach out to Lowellyn (she/they) at Lowellyn.Sunga@sanmateopride.org or 650-591-0133 who can help you figure out the best match for a mutually rewarding experience.
Thank you for investing in the Pride Center’s essential programs and services. We can’t do our work without you.
For more information about our volunteer program, click the button below.
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For the latest updates follow us on social media:
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PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE UPDATES
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If you would like information about how to become a volunteer peer counselor or have general questions about Older Adult Programming, please contact Info@sanmateopride.org or 650-591-0133
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| Outlet is currently accepting new LGBTQIA+ youth clients ages 10 to 25 in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties!
A couple things to note:
- Youth who are interested can start services without a waiting period.
- Therapy services are available via telehealth or in person.
- While our therapy services do come at a cost, a sliding scale is available!
To start the screening process:
Complete Outlet’s Screening Form (tinyurl.com/OutletScreeningForm)
Email Brett (they/them), Outlet’s Clinical Coordinator (brett@acs-teens.org) to schedule an intake appointment
Questions? Contact Brett Trace (brett@acs-teens.org)
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| The Pride Center and Stanford LGBTQ+ Health Program co-host Trans Talks, a free, monthly workshop series that centers the health and wellness of our Transgender and Gender Diverse community members. Every month, a different medical student from Stanford's LGBTQ+ Health Program will share information and lead a discussion.
Stay tuned for information about upcoming Trans* Talks presentations.
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If you are interested in rewatching/ watching these presentations or if you are interested in seeing recordings* of other previous presentations, please use this link: tinyurl.com/transtalks-recordings.
*Please note: Some workshops aren't recorded at the presenter's request. If a workshop isn't recorded, there is usually a slideshow that can be accessed. All recordings utilize closed captioning.
If you have questions, need support or would like to suggest a topic please contact
Nathalie (she/her) at nsaraig@stanford.edu or call 650-591-0133
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The Stanford School of Medicine is working to expand their LGBTQ+ curriculum. One way that they're hoping to do this is by recruiting Trans*-identified actors to portray patients for student evaluations. Please share widely. This is an important opportunity to create visibility in the medical field.
This is a paid opportunity! If you or someone you know is interested, please upload your photo and resume to https://bit.ly/2q2jM0S
Questions? Please contact Dr. Laniakea at laniakea@stanford.edu or call 650-591-0133
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If you are looking for support in changing your name on your legal documents, join our monthly name and gender marker workshops.
The format of the Name and Gender Change workshop is changing. We are moving from offering this workshop once a month to a twice a month. The Name and Gender Change workshop will now occur on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 6-7:30 PM.
Part 1 will be on the 2nd Wednesday and Part 2 will be on the 4th Wednesday. Part 1 will cover court order forms, filing instructions, and fee waivers. Part 2 will cover updating social security documents, DMV documents, passports, birth certificates, and other documents.
Part 1 took place on January 31st & Part 2 will take place on February 28th (just the evening session). Twice-a-month offerings will begin in March. The rsvp link will stay the same.
Please reach out to phoenix.georgiades@sanmateopride.org or 650-591-0133 for support.
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Just a reminder: we offer some financial aide for the legal process and free gender affirming supplies. For more information about this, please see this link:
tinyurl.com/ngc-financial-aid
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For more information about our monthly peer support groups for community members 18+, please click this link.
If you have any questions, please contact
Ishani.Dugar@sanmateopride.org or 650-591-0133
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The book club is a partnership with the San Mateo County Public Library System, Peninsula Family Service and San Mateo County Pride Center. It’s open to all members of the community, including allies and friends.Community members who are invited to attend even if they haven't read the book. Come participate in the discussion!
We're excited to share that the book club will is a hybrid meeting. Participants have the option of gathering in person at the San Mateo County Pride Center (1021 S. El Camino) or continuing to use Zoom. If you would like to attend this meeting through Zoom, please register using this link: tinyurl.com/smcpc-bookclub
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For information about upcoming titles including how to borrow them from the San Mateo County Library, please click this link.
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The Bridge Access Program
CDC’s Bridge Access Program provides free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. This program expires December 31, 2024. For more information, please click this link.
Thank you to our friends at The Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council (BACHAC) for sharing this
information with us.
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| As of September 25, households are entitled to free covid tests! For more information, please click this link.
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| Navigating the Storms/ Inclement Weather
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The County of San Mateo is urging residents to stay safe today because, while the brunt of a hard winter storm has passed, flooded roads, downed trees and power outages remain.
County Libraries in conjunction with the Red Cross will open Community Resource Centers starting today from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at five locations. Each will provide water, snacks charging stations for phones and mobile devices.
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| Half Moon Bay Library
620 Correas St.
Half Moon Bay 94019
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| North Fair Oaks Library
2510 Middlefield Road
Redwood City 94063
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| Brisbane Library
163 Visitacion Ave.
Brisbane 94005
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| East Palo Alto Library
2415 University Avenue
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
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| Foster City Library
1000 East Hillsdale Blvd.
Foster City 94404
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| For more information, click the link below:
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In community,
Marilyn Fernando (she/her)
Marketing and Community Engagement Lead
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Do you enjoy/benefit from our programs and services? Are you able to/Would you like to support our essential work? We welcome and appreciate donations of any amount, big or small.
It all matters. Yes, we really mean that.
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The San Mateo County Pride Center is a program of StarVista in collaboration with Outlet of Adolescent Counseling Services, and Peninsula Family Service.
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