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Project TRANS:
Changing Lives and Creating Community
February 16, 2021

Dear Center Community,

The Center’s Project TRANS (Transgender Referrals, Assistance, Networking, and Services) serves our San Diego transgender and nonbinary community. At the beginning of the pandemic, Project TRANS was one of the first programs to bring its direct support services virtual - including case management, advocacy, name and gender marker changes services, and discussion and support groups.

Throughout this crisis, Project TRANS’ support and discussion groups have served as a virtual safe space in a welcoming community. Support groups include San Diego Trans Military Discussion Group, the Transgender Coming Out Group, the Trans Masculine Discussion Group, Diamonds in the Rough for trans feminine women, and Trans SOFFA (a Group for Significant Others, Friends, Families, or Allies), the Nonbinary Gender Identity & Exploration group, and Finding Your Voice - a group that works with transgender women on posture, voice, confidence, and finding their power. The majority of groups are peer-led by our truly incredible and dedicated volunteers, and some groups are facilitated by The Center’s Behavioral Health Services team, all leading with compassion and competence, acknowledging how important it is for our service providers to reflect the community we serve.
 
Project TRANS, with the help of our Behavioral Health Services department, also provides gender-affirming letters for gender confirmation surgeries and links clients to care including primary care, specialty care like HIV care and prevention, hormone replacement therapy, and referrals to plastic surgeons. In partnership with USD Law, Project TRANS hold a monthly Name & Gender Marker Change Clinic (detail further down) and, as of last week, has served 500 community members. They connect parents to services for youth and families both at The Center and in the community, they meet the needs of our Spanish-speaking immigrant community and asylum seekers, and work in coalition with community organizations, showing up when called for our community in crisis - whether that is collaborating on an action plan for a suicidal LGBTQ youth or advocating for an incarcerated transgender man so that he was able to get appropriate care and medication.
 
The Center’s Project TRANS is, and continues to be, a welcoming space, a trusted partner, and a real lifeline for our transgender and nonbinary community. If you, or someone you know, is in need of The Center’s transgender and nonbinary services, please reach out, email trans@thecentersd.org or call 619.692.2077 x 162. To see the discussion and support groups, click here

In community,
-Cara Dessert (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Chief Executive Officer
IN THE KNOW WITH IAN
Every year at this time, #CenterSupporters receive a Save-The-Date postcard announcing the upcoming dates of our Signature Events. Last year's Tantrums & Tiaras was a huge success and took place just before the shutdown - soon after we were forced to cancel both Dining Out For Life® San Diego and the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast. This year, we knew that we had to do something for 2021 that celebrates all of those fabulous events and the funds they historically raise.

We are currently in the process of reimagining a safe and exciting Tantrums & Tiaras and the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast (Dates: TBD), as well as Dining Out For Life® San Diego from April 29, 2021 - May 2, 2021 so we can 'gather in community' in a new way. Be on the lookout for more details as we plan to raise critical funds for The Center and our hospitality industry friends who have been so critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ian Johnson (Pronouns: He/Him/His)
Director of Development
PEOPLE'S BUDGET SAN DIEGO
Part of The Center’s Advocacy strategy is to work in coalition with other community and justice partners; The Center is proud to be a member of the Community Budget Alliance which is working for a more equitable San Diego City budget. The budgeting process is complex and starts months before the final vote in June, and we want to ensure our community understands the process, and knows when and how you can make your voice heard by decision makers. Join us this Thursday, February 18 from 5:30pm - 7pm for an online forum to imagine a new vision for the City of San Diego so we can advocate together for a true People's Budget. Please sign up to attend this online forum at: bit.ly/CBAbudget_register
 
Stay up to date on The Center’s Advocacy efforts with regular updates from our Advocacy team. Click here to sign up. 

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

The Center would like to uplift the words of three inductees on the Benjamin F. Dillingham, III and Bridget Wilson LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor. 2017 inductee Nic Herrera (She/Her & He/Him), 2016 inductee Veronica Zerrer (She/Her/Hers), and 2014 inductee T.J. Seguine (He/Him/His) were all inducted because of their dual service to country and community. The Center thanks them for their ongoing contributions and leadership to our San Diego LGBTQ community, including their inspiring Op-Eds in The San Diego Union-Tribune that call for both hope and more work to be done. Read below:

COVID-19 RESOURCES

VACCINE UPDATE
As the COVID-19 vaccine is becoming more accessible and additional sites are opening, it's important to keep up to date. For phases, information, details on vaccination sites, or to make your appointment, visit the San Diego County website. 

GET TESTED FOR COVID-19
It's easy to find where you can get a COVID-19 test, just click here for a list of testing sites or call 2-1-1. 


STOP THE SPREAD WITH PHONE NOTIFICATIONS
Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by adding your phone to California’s exposure notification system to get exposure alerts. Visit CA Notify for details. 

FREE RIDES TO VACCINE APPOINTMENTS
Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is offering free transit rides for everyone in the region who needs to get to their COVID-19 vaccine appointment location, including all vaccination sites in the county including Super Vaccination stations, hospitals, and other community immunization locations. Show a confirmation email of your vaccine appointment that day - either a printout or on a smartphone - to get on board for free. Learn more.

RESOURCES FOR THE BLACK LGBTQ COMMUNITY
BLACK MINDS MATTER
Join the Black Minds Matter live event which will address disproportionate suspensions of Black children and youth. In recent years, there has been increasing attention and educational policy efforts designed to address these disproportionate suspensions. Using data from California public schools, the presenters will highlight persistent disparities in the application of exclusionary discipline. The event will address egregious suspension disparities, offer practice and policy solutions, and will include a reactor panel with leading educators and policymakers. This event is FREE and takes place Wednesday, February 17th at 1pm. Sign up and learn more here. 
MORE CENTER PROGRAMS 
As we all continue to stay at home as much as possible, The Center wants you to stay connected. Join in community for discussion and support groups, special programming, and more via Zoom - all tailored for our LGBTQ community. Please visit our website, visit The Center's Facebook page, or call us at (619) 800-4252 from 9am - 4pm or (619) 800-4216 from 4pm - 9pm to find the right one for you. Below find just some of The Center's offerings. 
FOOD RESOURCES
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Covered California has established a special-enrollment period to give Californians more opportunities to sign up for health care coverage without needing to meet the normal qualifying life events. Anyone who meets Covered California’s eligibility requirements can sign up for coverage through May 15th and have their coverage begin on the first of the following month. For more information, visit www.CoveredCA.com or call 1.800.300.1506. You can also get free and confidential assistance in a variety of languages from a certified enroller, or have a certified enroller call them and help for free.
WANT TO WORK AT THE CENTER?

The Center is one of San Diego’s most exciting places to work! Center staff members are renowned for their dynamic and creative teamwork, cutting edge innovations, consistent professionalism, and extraordinary heart and dedication. The Center offers employees an amazing environment where community building, compassion, and care are uniquely combined with an insistent striving toward excellence and best practices. Check out our job listings. 

SHARE ALL OF THE NEWS
We make it easy to share The Center's weekly E-News - just click this link and forward 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 © 2021 San Diego LGBT Community Center, All rights reserved.


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