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Dear Friends & Family in Our Beloved Community,  

I hope these brief updates from our organization find you in good standing.  We know that the past few months have not been easy for our community, but despite our collective adversity, we remain committed to our mission of promoting the safety, health, and well-being of LGBTQ people in our communities.

At Diverse and Resilient we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in calling for an end to racism, police brutality, transphobia,  homophobia, sexism, and intolerance. During this month of Pride, we are both reminded and comforted in knowing that it is our people --Queer, Trans, People of Color and our allies; who continue to be at the vanguard for a more just, equitable, and liberated future. As our elder, James Baldwin, so poignantly stated, "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced". Please be safe, no matter how or where you choose to express yourself.
 

Transgender Support, Youth Support & Condoms

  • We continue to hold  virtual youth group and SHEBA meetings. Keeping in contact with program participants.
  • We distributed over 20,000 condoms and dental dams back into the community.
  • We held a virtual Lavender Graduation for all LGBTQ high school and college graduates, with 4 local performers, and youth led speeches.

HIV/STI Care and Prevention

 

Peer Navigator Program

  • The Peer Navigator Program continues to remotely assist people living with HIV coordinate their care and access to resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.  From providing a ride, assisting with housing applications, submitting re-certifications & check stubs for ADAP, or simply being a listening ear, the Navigators have started building a rapport with the people we serve.  
  • The Peer Navigator Program is still enrolling virtually throughout the remainder of this pandemic, if  interested reach out to the Peer Navigator Program Manager - Justin Roby at (414) 323-9696.

Intersectionality Among Men (IAM)

  • IAM continues to engage community through social media, and via zoom with community events and meetings. 
  • Coordinators have also joined other Mpowerment zoom meetings and virtual events; gaining new perspectives and creative ideas to better engage community.
  • IAM held their first "Get Down" virtual event since the Safer at Home Act was put into place. The "Get Down" occurred June 7th, 2020. 
  • IAM also is planning a virtual panel with community members to discus the effects of COVID-19 on LGBTQIA communities of Color, and our response to it.

HIV Testing & Keep it Up! Program

  • Our Testing Program rolled out its plans to resume HIV testing by adopting a tele-health model for administering at-home oral HIV test.  Community members interested in scheduling an at-home HIV test may do so here: https://bit.ly/2AUd7z3
  • We continue to recruit and engage community members in the Keep it Up! program, providing  a set of fun online activities for young gay and bi men helping them stay engaged in sexual health.

Room to Be Safe & Anti-Violence Program

  • The AVP advocates have been able to provide transportation to safety, hotel stays, food, mental health therapy, one-on-one advocacy and safety planning throughout this stressful and dangerous times. Please call or text our statewide warmline at 414-856-5428 if you or someone you love needs the support of an anti-violence advocate.
  • We have provided a weekly platform called The Queerantine  since the end of March. Topics have included resiliency, safety, laughter, imagination, celebration and more. We will move the Queerantines to once a month during the summer and we’ll be announcing an AVP youth specific group soon.
  • We will be starting LGBTQ youth/young adult programming in June at our Appleton office.
  • We are thrilled to announce that Diverse & Resilient has hired Reiko Ramos (they/them pronouns) as our new Youth/Young Adult Advocate for the Room to Be Safe Anti-Violence Program located in Appleton. .
March With Pride for #BlackLivesMatter
"There is no divide when parents tell black children to avoid the police out of fear of their own good or a parent telling a queer child to live in a box their entire life, because people who don't understand you will hurt you. Our experience is not worth your understanding". ~ Elle Halo , D&R Board Member

 
To view more of Elle's and other members of the Black LGBTQ community commentaries during this historic event we welcome you to the following links :

Link to Speeches:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1078199285914018

Link to Drone Flyover of the March:
https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.charles.12/videos/659076778766/
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