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What Is Your Center Story?
November 16, 2020

Dear Center Community,

Each of us has a story of when The Center has made us feel welcomed, valued, and supported perhaps during one of the most crucial times of our lives.
 
Yours may be when you needed some support to come out to friends, family, co-workers, or even to yourself. Or maybe when you needed a safe place to sleep, or food to eat… staving off the loneliness of aging… embarking on a journey of transition… finding out if you had a life-threatening disease. Or, when you were simply looking for a loving and supportive community within which to live and thrive. Or when you needed food, help, or resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
While the pandemic continues and the doors to our main facility are closed, your Center remains open. Open to our community, open to you. Our more than 1,200 community volunteers and nearly 70 professional staff, the heart of The Center, have been here for the community in the past, here during these troubling times, and will be here for every member of our community regardless of what the future brings. Already this year, we have expanded our critical housing services, added more food resources, healthcare access, HIV testing and behavioral health services. Support group attendance via Zoom is rising and is diminishing fears and anxiety, we have had record behavioral health virtual visits - especially for youth, engaged our community for participation in the US Census and the 2020 Elections, produced virtual events, and are looking to build out programming for the lesbian, nonbinary, Black, and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. But we can’t do it without you.
 
I Want To Help!
As this difficult year ends, The Center’s goal is to raise $400,000  to help thousands of LGBTQ community members secure critical emergency services like those mentioned above. And from now through November 30th, we have a match of $100,000 so your donation goes twice as far! I am asking for your special end-of-year gift in support of The Center’s life-saving critical services and essential support programs that have helped change how this chapter of the story goes for your neighbors in our community. Please help today - click here to donate.

With gratitude,
-Cara Dessert (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Chief Executive Officer
COVID-19 UPDATE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, San Diego County has moved from the red tier to the more restrictive purple tier. This change was necessitated by an increase in case rates to 7.4 per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks. As we are hopeful for a vaccine in 2021, now is the time to stay vigilant, stay at home when you can, wear a mask, and social distance. During these stressful and uncertain times, please remember that you have the power to help stop this pandemic by following the guidelines above, knowing that you’re doing your part to keep everyone in our community safe.
TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
The Community is invited to join us virtually on Project TRANS at The Center's Facebook page for the 18th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance on Friday, November 20th from 7:00pm-8:00pm as we memorialize, honor, and celebrate the lives tragically lost due to fatal anti-transgender violence and discrimination. These senseless murders are a global and national crisis that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and migrant transgender womxn of color! This year, we have issued a call to action partnering with other leading agencies whose mission is to serve and protect our most vulnerable and marginalized community members. We are stronger together and want the message to be loud and clear, stop killing our trans community!
 
This event will be interpreted in American Sign Language. For more information, contact trans@thecentersd.org or call/text 858.215.6914.
 
For Transgender Awareness Week November 12th - November 19th up until Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th, we ask community members and allies to help us memorialize the ones we have lost too soon by visiting one of the five altars listed below to pay respects, meditate, leave flowers, pictures, or hand-written sentiments. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing so that we may all stay healthy. For more information, contact trans@thecentersd.org. Be sure to check yourself in at each location on social media, take a picture, and share the following hashtags: #TDOR2020 #StopKillingUs #TransisBeautiful
 
The San Diego LGBT Community Center
3909 Centre St., San Diego, CA 92103
 
San Diego Pride Office
3620 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104
 
South Bay Youth Center
1180 3rd Avenue., Suite C1, Chula Vista, CA 91911
 
Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition
1121 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92058
 
North County LGBT Community Center
320 Mission Ave., Suite #2, Oceanside, CA 92058
 
In addition, we are honored to share that The County of San Diego will be raising transgender awareness and visibility for Transgender Day of Remembrance on Friday, November 20, 2020 by lighting up the waterfront San Diego County Administration Center in light pink, white, and light blue, the colors of the transgender flag! Visibility matters and we hope this show of awareness does just that, and honors this somber occasion.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
In an effort to provide more accountability and transparency on local law enforcement’s participation in federal immigration enforcement, the California Legislature enacted the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act in 2016. This act requires County governments to hold an annual forum if a local law enforcement agency provided access to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
 
The Center knows that immigration is an LGBTQ issue and we want to ensure that community members are informed about this year's annual TRUTH Act forum, virtually hosted by the County of San Diego, on Tuesday, November 17 at 5:00pm, to voice their concerns and submit comments regarding the San Diego County Sheriff Department’s cooperation with ICE officials. Join Supervisor Nathan Fletcher’s watch party on this very important topic. To register and submit questions, please visit: https://mailchi.mp/sdcounty/truthact


-Rebekah Hook-Held (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) 
Chief Public Affairs & Civic Engagement Officer 

IN THE KNOW WITH IAN
As I mentioned in last week's Enews, The Center and AIDS Walk & Run San Diego is excited to grant nearly $100,000 out to ten local HIV Service organizations in San Diego County who benefit from this critical fundraiser every year. It could not be done without the support of so many, including these Top Fundraisers:
1. Nicholas Oehlberg             
2. Victor & Matt Ortiz-Deutsch
3. Kevin Jon Lampard
4. Joe Gregore
5. Rick-Arlo Yah Lira
6. Allan Acevedo
7. Kafele Khalfani, Ed.D. 
8. Cara Dessert 
9. Patrick Armijo
10. Lucas O’Conner
Congratulations and thank you for making a difference in HIV Services and Prevention Programs across our county!

-Ian Johnson (Pronouns: He/Him/His)
Director of Development
COMING UP AT THE CENTER
The Center knows that many community members have faced financial hardship and/or food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, for the month of November, The San Diego LGBT Community Center and Big Front Door will be partnering to offer a free meal to those who need one. Please sign-up here: https://forms.gle/v5Cp5HHQTiELTy6z6 and please feel free to pass this link along to community members who you think would benefit. For questions, please reach out to Sarah Merk-Benitez at smerkbenitez@thecentersd.org.
STAY CONNECTED ON ZOOM
Now more than ever, The Center knows it is important to stay connected.  Join us on Zoom for meetings, discussions, special events, groups, and more to help you feel connected. Please visit our website, visit The Center's Facebook page, or call us at 619.692.2077 x 211 to find the right one for you. Reach out and connect today! 
SHARE THE CENTER'S E-NEWS!
We make it easy - just click this link and forward this E-News to a friend!  If your friends would like to sign up to stay informed, they can sign up here: https://thecentersd.org/about/weekly-e-news/
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. HELP IS AVAILABLE.
If you are in crisis or considering suicide, you are not alone. There are resources and help available for you:
  • Trans Lifeline: 1.877.565.8860 - For trans or nonbinary folx in the US
  • Trevor Project Lifeline: 1.866.488.7386 - For LGBT youth (18-24)
  • National Suicide Hotline: 1.800.273.8255 - For all ages & identities
  • San Diego Access and Crisis Line: 1.888.724.7240 - Free suicide prevention/intervention hotline in San Diego County
Copyright © 2020 San Diego LGBT Community Center, All rights reserved.


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