September 18, 2025
Hello again! It's great to see you!
We are officially on the other side of a hectic summer! To recap...
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We celebrated SMC Pride, moved out of our founding home at 1021 S. El Camino Real, said goodbye to our original parent organization StarVista, gained a new fiscal sponsor & had an outdoor bioblitz event in Pacifica.
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| It was a big summer with lots of changes, happy tears & sad tears, laughs, memories, seeing old friends and making new ones & lots of work. While we are still navigating lots of new things, we are excited to continue to be here and queer for you!
Please scroll down to learn more about our new parent organization, the incredible in-person events that we're hosting & for a refresher of how we can support you!
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| | | We are proud to announce that the Pride Center has joined the San Francisco Public Health Foundation as a partner project.
To learn more about our new fiscal sponsor, please click the button below!
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| Support Your Way with a Queer Package: A Suicide Prevention Month Event
Tuesday, 9/30 from 6:30-8:30PM at NAMI San Mateo County
1730 S. Amphlett Blvd (Suite 308), San Mateo
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| Everyone needs a little boost sometimes. Or a hand while struggling with the challenges this chaotic world has had in store. Join the SMCPC in making a care package- a Queer Package- to show appreciation and maybe a little cheer to that person needing a lift.
Join us for an uplifting evening of creativity and connection as we celebrate the strength and resilience of our LGBTQIA+ community during Suicide Prevention Month.
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| In this hands-on workshop and social, you'll create your own personalized care package while connecting with others in a supportive, affirming environment. Together, we will craft items that promote mental wellness and share local resources, reminding us that through community, we are never alone.
All ages welcome & community members welcome. This is a free event. Food and refreshments provided!
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| To learn about the other events and offerings that San Mateo County is offering to commemorate Suicide Prevention month, visit this link - https://www.smchealth.org/spm
To register, please email info@sanmateopride.org
When you register, you'll have double entry in our prize drawing!
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| Gayme Night at Peninsula Books
Thursday, 10/16 from 6-8PM at Peninsula Books - 441 Westlake Center, Daly City
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Instead of being bored, join the Pride Center at Peninsula Books for a fun night of board games! From party games to trivia, we will have as much variety in games as we do in our community. Plus, we will even have prizes! You have nothing to lose (except for every game you play).
Registration is encouraged, but not required. Register in advance to be entered to win a drawing prize. There will also be some prizes for some of our game winners as well.
This event is free and open to the public. Light snacks will be provided.
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| | Halloween Queeraoke
Wednesday, 10/29 from 5-8PM at Adolescent Counseling Services
1779 Woodside Rd (Suite 200), Redwood City
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Can you think of a better way to prepare for Halloween than getting together with your besties and singing along to your favorite songs? Whether you’re a karaoke regular, someone who is curious about karaoke or someone who’d like to try singing a new song, this is a space for you!
Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Dress like your favorite animal or mythical creature. Join Outlet and the San Mateo County Pride Center for this fun and fabulous space!
This is a sober, all ages event. Snacks will be provided.
To register, please email info@sanmateopride.org
When you register, you'll be entered for a prize drawing!
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| If you have questions about any of our upcoming events, please contact info@sanmateopride.org or call 650-591-0133
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There are no amount of words that can express the gratitude we have for the community that showed up to help during this huge transitional period for us. At a time when it feels like lots of LGBTQ+ organizations are asking for support, we are truly touched and honored that community took time out of their schedule to help out. Thank you to the city and county officials and community leaders who also stepped up and showed up for us.
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Thank you to those who:
- donated moving supplies
- helped promote our moving party
- came by to pick up onsite items and help us clean
- shared the word about the changes happening at the Pride Center
- thank you to the community organizations who offered their spaces as we look for our new home
- are donating their space/s for us to continue offering onsite events in the community
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who donated the precious gift of their time and energy.
A special thank you to Rae Goldman for donating the ongoing fees for our storage unit and paying for the movers.
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| | | Since the San Mateo County Pride Center opened in 2017, we've been supported and uplifted by StarVista. We are grateful for their leadership in the first 8 years of our organization. As a program of StarVista, the Pride Center has grown and expanded our ability to support LGBTQ+ community members in San Mateo County and beyond. It’s worth noting that many of the Pride Center staff (past and present) have grown professionally and personally under StarVista’s leadership as well. As the first LGBTQ+ community center in San Mateo County, we’re thankful to have worked with a longtime organization with a respected reputation.
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| We are sending our best to our former colleagues that their next chapter is abundant and filled with good things/ we hope that their next chapter is eventful and successful/ that their next endeavor is filled with good luck. We hope that the clients they served find continuity of care that is affirming, supportive and healing.
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Pride Month Fundraiser Thank Yous!
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Community events and services are possible because of sponsors like the amazing organizations that supported us through fundraisers in during Pride Month. Thank you to the new businesses and organizations who partnered with us during this noticeably different Pride Season & to the amazing businesses and organizations who continue to partner with us every year!
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To learn more about each business, click on their logo.
More than $6300 was raised through the generosity of these local businesses.
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Still Queer and Still Grateful to be Here
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Until we find our new home, we are still offering our services and programs virtually. What kinds of services do we provide? Scroll down for a refresher of the services that we currently offer.
Community Events and Gatherings
Thanks to our community partners and friends, we are still able to host onsite programming at various locations throughout San Mateo County. Follow us on our social media platforms or visit the event page on our website.
If you have questions about community events and gatherings, please email Elana.Ron@sanmateopride.org.
To learn more about our upcoming events, please click the button below
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Training, Education and Consultations
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Trainings
Our trainings help reduce stigma and discrimination throughout the county by engaging providers, organizations, and community on LGBTQ+ topics to further their understanding, support of, and engagement with the LGBTQ+ community. We strive to equip San Mateo County (and beyond!) services and residents with the tools to build cultural humility and create more equitable environments for all LGBTQ+ folks.
Examples of trainings that we provide are: SOGIE 101 (can be interpreted as LGBTQ 101), Pronouns 101 and
Trans* 101
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| | | Capacity Building Education
and Consultations
The Pride Center acknowledges that none of us do our work alone. Our staff can provide your organization with educational opportunities and consultations to help with skills-building and cultural humility. This work will be done in partnership with you and tailored to your agency or program needs. Our goal is to build the capacity of San Mateo County services to better support the needs of LGBTQ+ community members and residents.
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| Examples of former consultations have included:
- LGBTQ workplace sector specific check-ins and education
- Human resources protocol recommendations
- Mental health affirming/inclusive care and practices
- Bathroom policy review and editing
- How to ask SOGI questions in client demographic forms
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Our trainings and consultations are offered virtually, in-person, or in hybrid formats!
To learn more about trainings and consultations, please click the button below:
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Monthly Peer Support Groups
The San Mateo County Pride Center hosts a number of peer groups led by a combination of staff and community volunteers. These groups are social gatherings for community members to meet others who share their identities and experiences and are also a great way to make new connections with other LGBTQ+ folks in the Peninsula. Organized by age and specific identities, our peer groups reflect the diversity of our community. All peer support groups are currently only meeting virtually.
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| | Please note - As of August 2025, our peer group Zooms have changed. If you attend any of our peer support groups, you need to RE-REGISTER using the new registration links.
To learn more about our peer support groups, please click the button below.
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| Clinical Services & Case Management
The San Mateo County Pride Center provides high quality, LGBTQ+ affirming mental health services to community members living throughout San Mateo County. Mental wellbeing services include individual therapy, relationship therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and case management. Our work is strength-based, trauma-informed, engaging both natural supports and the whole family whenever possible.
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| Currently, therapy services are on a temporary pause while we are restructuring our clinical program.
Please contact clinical@sanmateopride.org to receive our Pride Center LGBTQ+ Provider Referral Directory.
However, case management is still available and free of charge! Those services include support and service linkage for housing, healthcare, employment, legal aid, community events, and more. Please check out our case management page for more information on what can be provided.
We can also provide referral services for:
- LGBTQ+ affirming providers vetted by the Pride Center who have therapy openings
- Providers who can write a letter of support/WPATH letter
- Organizations that provide workshops or 1-1 support with name and gender marker change
You can book an appointment for case management through our Calendly page or email clinical@sanmateopride.org and we can share more resource options with you as needed.
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To learn more about our clinical services, please click the button below.
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| Outlet is currently offering the following HYBRID weekly peer support groups:
Outlet is located in the Adolescent of Counceling Services building at
1779 Woodside Road, Suite 200
Redwood City, CA 94061
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| You can find more details about Outlet youth groups by visiting Outlet's website.
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| Trans* Peer Support Group
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| Queer Women's Group
If you have any questions, please contact
Ishani.Dugar@sanmateopride.org or 650-554-1234 (text ok)
For more information about our monthly peer support groups
for community members 18+, please click this link.
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| The San Mateo County Pride Center and Outlet of Adolescent Counseling Services are looking to increase the number of spaces and amount of support provided for queer folks of color in San Mateo and beyond. In order to do that, we need to hear from you! Please fill out this short interest survey to provide valuable insight on the best way to set this group up in a way that serves community.
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To access the Post Election FAQ resource guide, visit this link -
https://tinyurl.com/smclgbtqfaq
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Our monthly Name and Gender Change workshops are currently on hold. If Community members can still email info@sanmateopride.org if they need legal name and gender change support. For more information about our NGC services, please visit this link.
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Follow us on Bluesky!
https://bsky.app/profile/sanmateopride.bsky.social
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Stay tuned for information about this month's Trans Talks. To rewatch previous presentations, please use this link: tinyurl.com/transtalks-recordings.
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If you are hosting a resource fair or another event & would like to invite us to table or attend, please reach out to Elana.Ron@sanmateopride.org or 650-465-2407
- To access a list of local and national hotlines, please click this link
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If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency or needs emotional support, call the following hotlines and warmlines:
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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24/7): call or text 988
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Para Español: Para acceder al apoyo en Español, marque 988 y presione 2. Para acceder al mensaje de texto en español, envíe un AYUDA.
- A reminder about our operating hours -
- Programs & Services are available virtually: Monday-Friday 10:00am-7:00pm
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In community,
The San Mateo County Pride Center
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