September 1, 2021
Hello, Community!
We hope that you're taking care as we move into the fall months. Some highlights of August include the Taller de Jardinería de Verano / Edible Home Gardening Workshop in collaboration with The San Mateo County Office of Sustainability, the return of QT Healthy Relationships workshop series co-hosted with CORA & Trans Talks: Gender Affirming Voice Therapy! Special thank you to these partners and all our other partners for support in making these community spaces possible!
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| On behalf of the Pride Center and The Sustainability Academy of San Mateo, we want to thank everyone who attended the Taller de Jardinería de Verano / Edible Home Gardening Workshop on August 21st. A special thanks to the workshop facilitator Jesús Jimenez along with Miguel Nigenda and Avana Andrade for leading an engaging and interactive space! Thank you to the various community members who shared their summer harvests, tips, and tricks to sustaining edible home gardens.
If you were unable to attend, no worries! Please see this link to access a recording of the workshop: https://youtu.be/X_n4yFmrcb4
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about sustainability, be sure to check out the San Mate County's Office of Sustainability website here: https://www.smcsustainability.org/
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| September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
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Honoring Suicide Prevention Month!
Suicide Prevention Month is the best time of year to empower the community to prevent suicide!
For 2021, San Mateo County, Star Vista and partners are promoting the theme of “Supportive Transitions: Reconnect, Re-enter, Rebuild.” Transitions, in any shape or size, can impact our mental health, and major life changes have long been understood to be environmental risk factors for suicide. Positive coping skills, resilience, and connectedness to family, friends, and our community can act as protective factors to help us navigate transitions. While the pandemic has changed our fabric of life, it has also strengthened our resilience and resolve. As we re-enter life, whether it is going back to school, reconnecting with friends, rediscovering favorite places, or reimagining our future, transitions are easier when we navigate them together. All of us can play a role in suicide prevention. Together we can reconnect, reenter and rebuild for the future.
For full list of events & registration, visit smchealth.org/suicide-prevention-month
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Financial Support for Name and Gender Change (Chest binders and gaffs, too!)
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Hello community! We are excited to announce that we were awarded a small grant so that we can offer some financial assistance to those who need help paying for name and gender change court fees. We will also be using a portion of the funds to purchase chest binders and gaffs for those in need, as well!
For those who have filed with your local courthouse already and have received your approved name and/or gender change court order, you may need to request additional certified copies of your court order to update the rest of your identity documents. Each certified copy costs about $40, and with our grant, the Pride Center can help you by covering the cost of up to two (2) certified copies.
If you need financial help, please fill out our very short application form: https://bit.ly/ngc-aid-request. All are welcome to apply, but please note San Mateo County residents will be prioritized. We will also be ordering some chest binders and gaffs so that we will have those available to distribute later on.
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| | If you need support with completing your legal name and gender change paperwork or have any questions about the process, we also host a free, monthly workshop the last Wednesday of each month! Workshops are held virtually on Zoom. RSVP here: http://bit.ly/name-and-gender-change-rsvp.
Please contact Alex at Alex.Golding@sanmateopride.org if you have any questions.
You may also call or text 650-465-6795.
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For the latest updates follow us on social media:
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Special September Programs
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QT Healthy Relationships
6 consecutive Tuesdays at 6 PM beginning
August 17th though September 21st
CORA and the Pride Center are thrilled to co-host QT Relationships! We offered this workshop series last fall and are excited to offer it once again! This is a free, LGBTQ centered workshop series open to folks 18 . While this is LGBTQ centered, all community members 18 are invited to attend. Additionally, folks who attend all 6 sessions will be eligible to receive a gift card!
If you have questions or need support, please contact JennaR@corasupport.org
Registration is required: tinyurl.com/QTGroups
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Preserve Lives of Transgender Women of Color panel
Wednesday, September 8th from 6:30-7:30pm:
As many Transwomen throughout the country have experienced, there is often substantial stigma and judgment surrounding relationships involving Transwomen of color, especially as it concerns male attraction to Transwomen of color. Unfortunately, the general public often shames individuals for being attracted to, dating, or otherwise forming personal or sexual relationships with Transwomen of color. This stigma is harmful in many ways, including leading to disproportionate rates of violence against Transwomen of color.
Our panel will aim to illuminate the ways in which this stigma is misguided and harmful. Our diverse set of panelists includes Transwomen of color, who will share their personal experiences, as well as experts in the field. Panelists will discuss how Transwomen of color can and do have open, loving relationships; the root causes and negative effects of this stigma; and how we might eliminate the stigma, including policy choices that might help protect Transwomen of color. The ultimate goal of the panel is to raise empathy and awareness and to decrease the stigma and resulting violence surrounding such relationships.
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| Please register here (tinyurl.com/StonewallTWOCPanel). This event is co-sponsored by Adolescent Counseling Services, CORA, Equality California, Everytown for Gun Safety, the San Mateo Pride Center, the San Mateo County LatinX Democrats, and the San Mateo County LGBTQ Commission.
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Out to Eat is an annual fundraising gala that benefits Outlet, a program of Adolescent Counseling Services. Funds raised at Out to Eat allow the Outlet Program to provide support groups, mental health services, leadership development, and educational workshops for LGBTQIA youth and their allies on the Peninsula. This year, Out to Eat 2021 will be held on Thursday, October 28th, 2021 from 6-9 pm at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto. Tickets are $125 per person, or $1,000 for a table of 10. We hope that you can join us at Out to Eat 2021 to celebrate the Outlet program and raise funds to support LGBTQIA youth!
Reserve your seat here!
*We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to resume our in-person gala in October, but details may be subject to change based on local public health orders.
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Art workshop and Identity Talk
Sunday, October 3rd from 11-1 PM
Join us for a free online workshop on self portraits while self reflecting on LGBTQ identity! We'll be creating art with materials that you can find around your home. If you don't have materials, contact us! ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME!
Save your spot at https://tinyurl.com/lgbtq-art-education
Questions? Contact ishani@acs-teens.org
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| | PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE UPDATES
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Please click the button below for a comprehensive list of Older Adult programs including voter registration postcard writing party, a Gay Men's weekend outing, a film discussion on the film, "Lives Well Lived", weekly workout classes and updates in September from our partners at
Peninsula Family Service.
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| Trans Talks: Hormones 101
Thursday, September 16 from 6:30-7:30 PM PST
Hormones do so much in our bodies, from changing physical characteristics to affecting the way we process information. But what’s actually going on in there? And what happens when we begin hormone therapy? How does taking testosterone or estradiol interplay with our body's natural hormone production process, and how can different medications help tip the balance in the direction we want? In this talk, we’ll dive into the biology and roles of hormones to understand why testosterone and estrogen have the effects they do. We’ll look at how hormone therapy has evolved over the years and explore what people can expect as they begin hormone therapy, as well as how this differs for people taking testosterone versus estradiol.
CW: body dysmorphia, puberty
Accessibility note: Live Closed Captioning will be utilized at this event.
This is a free event open to all community members: https://tinyurl.com/transtalk09-16
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| If you would like to see recordings of previous Trans Talks, please see this link
please see this link (please note: all recordings offer closed captioning):
tinyurl.com/transtalks-recordings
Trans Talks is a free workshop series that centers on the health and wellness of our Trans Community members. All are welcome to attend. If you have suggestions or requests for workshop topics, please contact Neilwary@stanford.edu
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Current Therapy Availability! For those of our community seeking support around mental health, we are happy to report that our clinical team is taking on new clients. We have openings for both private pay and Medi-Cal clients. Interested? Fill out our handy Clinical Services Request form and a clinician will reach out to you within a few days:
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| OutRight Community
OutRight Community is a free, drop-in support group that meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 6:00pm until 7:30pm. This group is open to all LGBTQ folks ages 18-30, and is a safe and confidential spaces to find community and support. This group is English speaking. In September, this group will meet on 9/8 & 9/22
To sign up for this group, please pre-register at tinyurl.com/SMCPC-OutRight. Once you register, you will receive a unique access link to join the group. No intake screening is required.
Please reach out to Ainsley (They/Them) at Ainsley.Blattel@sanmateopride.org if you have questions or need support.
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| | Queer Women’s Group (18 )
Join the Queer Women’s Group’s next meeting on Friday, September 24th from 6-7:30pm! This group is a place where ALL women identifying folks 18 are welcome. Come to meet new people and build community together!
This group meets monthly on the 4th Friday. Upcoming dates are: October 22, November 19 and December 17th.
Pre-registration is required. Register for your unique Zoom access link here: tinyurl.com/smcpc-queerwomxn
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| The Trans Peer Support Group (18 ) meets monthly on the first Monday from 6-7:30PM. This is a free group & registration is required: tinyurl.com/smcpc-transgroup1
Because the Pride Center is offline on 9/6 for Labor Day, the next meeting date is 9/13
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| Polyamory Peer Power (18 ) meets monthly on the first Wednesday from 7:00-8:30 PM. Next meeting date is 9/1. For more info about the group, please see this link.
Registration is required:
tinyurl.com/smcpc-polyampower
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September book club pick:
When the Moon was Ours
by Anna Marie McLemore.
Book club (18 ) meets the first Wednesday, 9/1 from 4:30-6:00PM
This is a free group & registration is required: tinyurl.com/SMCPC-bookclub
October, November, December books to be determined.
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| Virtual Legal Name and Gender Change Workshop Sessions!
Wednesday, September 29
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We have expanded our monthly Legal Name and Gender Marker change workshop to accommodate group sessions!
In these new group settings:
- We can serve and support even more individuals at once;
- We can cover even more valuable material and answer questions in more depth;
- We can also provide a great networking opportunity to connect attendees with others who share similar identities and are going through the same process.
Our workshops are completely free of charge and are held virtually through Zoom. Workshops occur on the last Wednesday of each month, in both morning and evening sessions. The next date is: October 27. November and December dates to be determined.
- AM Session: 11:00am–12:30pm
- PM Session: 5:00pm–6:30pm
If you or someone you know would like to attend, please RSVP online at: http://bit.ly/name-and-gender-change-rsvp
Please contact our Lead Case Manager, Alex Golding (he/him) if you have any questions. He can be reached at alex.golding@sanmateopride.org or at 650-465-6795.
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As we continue to navigate around COVID-19
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We're here & Queer all year long! We're here for you! Stay safe and take care.
In Community,
Marilyn (she/her)
Marketing and Community Engagement Lead
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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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