April 15, 2025
Greetings community!
Please see this special eblast in April from the Pride Center with important announcements about our services and programming!
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Face Mask No Longer Required
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We hope you are taking care of yourselves.
The Pride Center is switching from being a “mask required” to a “mask friendly” site. This means that community members have the option of wearing a mask when visiting the Pride Center. This decision was made in response to the feedback received from our community, clients, surveys, and in comparison to other community centers.
The Pride Center is always deeply committed to the health and safety of our community and team. We will continue to keep our space as ventilated as possible, which includes utilizing multiple air purifying machines throughout the center. Additionally, we will remain diligent about regularly sanitizing high volume spaces and providing masks at the entrance of the center for those who choose to wear them.
To be mindful of others, if you are feeling unwell, please reach out to reschedule your visit when you are feeling better or consider changing it to a virtual appointment.
We encourage you to visit us in-person and check out all our on-site offerings:
- Gender-affirming wardrobe with chest binders, tucking briefs, clothes, accessories, and more (available for those in need)
- Community computer lab (with free Wi-Fi and printer)
- Food pantry with nonperishable items
- LGBTQ+ Lending Library full of books and movies to check out
- Arts & Crafts and Games (including a Nintendo Switch)
- Access to mental health, healthcare, employment resources and more
- Judgement free and inclusive space for you to be yourself!
Our current on-site hours are Tuesdays: 11:30am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-6:30pm; and Wednesday – Thursdays: 11:30am-6:30pm.
All our programs and services are also available virtually Mondays-Fridays: 10:00am-7:00pm.
Thank you for continuing to navigate the pandemic with us. We will continue to do our best to support and affirm you. Together, we can all ensure that the Pride Center remains a “safe space” as much as possible.
Sincerely,
San Mateo County Pride Center
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PRIDE PROM - THIS FRIDAY, April 18!
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The San Mateo Union High School District, San Mateo County Office of Education, College of San Mateo, Coast Pride, LGBTQ Commission of San Mateo County, and San Mateo Pride Center invite San Mateo County High School Students to attend Pride Prom 2025!
Celebrate the 3rd Annual Pride Prom, an inclusive, safe, welcoming, night to remember for 9th-12th grade students who attend high school in San Mateo County.
This FREE event celebrates and uplifts LGBTQ 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.
We recognize that while high school district proms are inclusive and welcoming, not all students have an opportunity to celebrate themselves at their prom. This event will provide a variety of activities, including dancing, DJ, lots of food, drinks and much more.
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| Celebra el tercer baile anual de graduación del Orgullo, una noche inclusiva, segura y acogedora para celebrar a los estudiantes de noveno a duodécimo grado que asisten a la escuelas preparatorias en el condado de San Mateo. En este evento GRATUITO, celebraremos y animaremos a los jóvenes LGBTQ y promoveremos los esfuerzos continuos de nuestro condado por construir lugares en los que los jóvenes se sientan tomados en cuenta y apoyados en entornos sin odio ni discriminación. Si bien la noche debe ser para divertirse con amistades, también es una celebración de esta comunidad entrañable. Las personas de cualquier identidad sexual y de género están invitadas a expresarse y divertirse. Sabemos que, aunque los bailes de graduación de las escuelas preparatorias del distrito son inclusivos y acogedores, no todos los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de celebrarse en dicho evento. En este evento, se organizarán diversas actividades, incluido el baile y DJ, habrá mucha comida, bebida y mucho más
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| For more information/ para más información
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SAVE THE DATE: San Mateo County 13th Annual Pride Celebration 2025
June 14!
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San Mateo County's 13th Annual Pride Celebration is a space to champion inclusion and wellness for LGBTQIA+ folks and allies in our county.
This year's Pride Celebration will be on Saturday, June 14, 2025 in Downtown San Mateo. We will have live entertainment, live DJ, resource and vendor booths, family-friendly activities, a Pride parade through Downtown San Mateo and more. Registration for the Pride Parade is open! To learn more about the Pride Parade, click this link. If you are interested in performing at San Mateo County Pride, visit this link.
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Interested in joining an SMC Pride subcommittee?
Contact PRIDE Initiative co-chair Dana Johnson at theractivist@gmail.com for the meeting Zoom link. We are actively looking for community members to join a Pride Celebration subcommittee and support with planning an amazing Pride Celebration.
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| Planning committees includes:
- Volunteer/Outreach
- Child/Youth Space
- Website
- Older Adult
- Parade
- Booth Vendors
- Food Trucks
- Entertainment
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| REQUEST DUE TODAY!
PRIDE MONTH IS AROUND THE CORNER!!
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June will be here sooner than you know it! While that might seem like a lot of time, the Pride Center is already starting to prep for Pride Month.
If your organization, business, group, church, or school is interested in having the Pride Center collaborate or participate in your programming in any capacity during Pride Month, we ask that you submit your request via this form no later than today, APRIL 15*
*Organizations can still submit their requests after April 15th, but they will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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| | Examples of requests that you can submit include, but are not limited to:
- Tabling at your resource fair or event
- Co-hosting/ partnering an event
- Requesting a training or consultation (to learn more about our trainings and consultations, please visit this link)
- Speaking at your event
Please note:
- Submitting a request is not a guarantee that we can participate
- Free services include – collaborating or co-hosting events, tabling, speaking engagements
- Services associated with a cost are trainings, consultations can vary
If you are interested in holding a fundraiser for the San Mateo County Pride Center, please email info@sanmateopride.org.
If June is not the right time, please reach out to us anyway! We’re here and Queer all year and can work with you for your training or outreach needs outside of Pride Month!
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San Mateo County LGBTQIA+ Commission first ever Meet and Greet!
This Thursday April 17
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| The LGBTQIA+ Commission is excited to announce our first ever Meet & Greet at a Special Meeting of the Commission on Thursday, April 17 from 6-7:30pm at The Yard Coffee in Redwood City! Learn more about the Commission and the inclusion community campaign they are launching!
Learn more: https://www.smcgov.org/lgbtqia/icc
| TRANS* Peer Group HYBRID!
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| Update to the Trans* Peer Support Group-
We're excited to announce that the Trans* Group is now HYBRID! Attendees have the option of joining this group onsite at San Mateo County Pride Center or through Zoom!
This group will continue to take place during the first Thursday of the month from 6-7:30 PM PST.
Register using this link - tinyurl.com/smcpc-transgroup1
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| Mental Health Services at the Pride Center
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Update that there is currently a short WAITLIST to receive clinical services.
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Clinical services are available onsite at the San Mateo County Pride Center, hybrid or virtual. The Pride Center provides LGBTQ+-affirmative therapy within a strengths-based and person-centered framework. All our clinicians have LGBTQ+ lived and/or work experience.
Priority is given to LGBTQ+ community members based in San Mateo County, but services are available to all community members based in California.
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| | Clinical Services include:
- Therapy: Individual, Couples/Multiples, Family, & Group sessions available! We accept HPSM/BHRS Medi-Cal or self-pay (sliding scale with income verification). Community members based outside of San Mateo County have the option of self- pay.
- Case Management: Work 1 on 1 with our knowledgeable case manager for support with housing, employment, legal, healthcare, gender-affirming care resources and providers, and more. This is a FREE resource.
If you have questions, please contact
clinical@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133
If you are interested in receiving mental health services or learning more about our clinical offerings, please click the button below
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Throughout the month, we'll be featuring special activities!
- Tuesday April 15th
Make beaded bracelets
- Thursday, April 17th
Join us to play Nintendo Switch
- Tuesday, April 22nd
Learn to crochet or knit
- Thursday, April 24th
Make woven bracelets
Weekly
- Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
- Thursdays from 4-5pm
All are welcome for this free event! Snacks will be provided.
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| | Community and Conversations drop-in guest, Vegas from Peninsula Humane Society
For our Community and Conversation drop-ins, we met the fabulous Vegas! Vegas is a PAT (Pet Assisted Therapy) Dog from the Peninsula Humane Society that we had the joy of hanging out with. This good boy enjoys pets, pats and belly rubs.
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Skyline Saga (Sexuality and Gender Alliance)
We attended the 2nd Annual Queer Students of Color Conference hosted by Skyline SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance). It was a delight to see how this conference has blossomed in its sophomore year! We took away information that will enrich us in both our personal and professional lives. Congratulations to SAGA for another amazing conference!
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TWOV (Trans Week of Visibility Week)
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our second annual Trans Week of Visibility! While Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) was on March 31st, we extended the celebration with a week full of impactful events where all can attend either virtually or in person!
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BALIF Community Service Award
We were the recipient of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF)’s Community Service Award. What an honor to be recognized in a room of our peers and community!
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We want to be your safe space during these uneasy times. Join us to have a little escape or just be with community. Snacks, table games, cards, crafts, and activities will be available, but mostly we want to hold space for YOU!
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In community,
The San Mateo County Pride Center
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Did you know we rely on the generosity of donations to provide our services at lower costs or for free? Can you help support LGBTQ+ wellness? Becoming a one-time or monthly donor makes a tremendous difference in helping us better serve our clients and community. Donate today by clicking the button below.
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The San Mateo County Pride Center is a program of StarVista in collaboration with Outlet of Adolescent Counseling Services.
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