Dear Center Community,
It seems unimaginable that we are approaching the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Governor’s Stay-At-Home order to combat it. This past year has been so incredibly difficult - our lives have changed completely and there has been heartbreaking loss. The loss of human touch, of family, friends, loved ones, including over 500,000 of our fellow citizens; we have endured losses of community gatherings and annual celebrations, and so many have endured losses of employment and businesses and the dreams that go with them. At The Center, we have seen the impact of the pandemic, and the needs of our community have grown exponentially. And through it all, The Center is here for you, as we have been for almost 50 years.
Since closing our main facility’s doors in March of last year, The Center has provided critical, and mostly virtual, Emergency Services to help our LGBTQ community through this pandemic. Although a bit of a long list, I'd like to share some defining moments from the past year.
- We have increased those we serve at our twice-monthly food banks, and created innovative food programs like Nourishing the Community, Non-Perishables Home Delivery and have proudly served more than 1,500 per month, totaling more than 16,800 community members served throughout the past year.
- We provided critical housing assistance and more than $125,000 dollars in rental relief funds to help community members stay in their homes. We have made over 1,100 connections of youth to The Center's housing programs and services for those experiencing homelessness.
- Behavioral Health Services has continued to care for and support our community’s mental health, providing over 4,200 virtual individual counseling and group sessions.
- Our critical and varied Support and Discussion groups are now held virtually, and we’ve created new offerings to keep community connected, providing more than 900 of these groups this past year.
- We continue to value our community’s Sexual Health and Wellness by providing HIV testing, redesigned with drive-thru and walk-up options, resulting in more than 230 tests.
- We have increased resources for our Black community including Support and Discussion groups like Brave Space, Heal Thy Soul, and Let’s Talk Tuesdays. The Center has also re-dedicated ourselves to our anti-Black racism work and trainings internally with our staff, board of directors, and our volunteers.
- The Center’s resources for our Seniors/50+ Better have continued and we’ve added new virtual groups, helped seniors navigate the waters of online discussion groups, fight isolation, stay fit, and access vital food resources.
- Hillcrest Youth Center and South Bay Youth Center have merged their programming, continuing to make a life-changing difference for LGBTQ youth with age-appropriate virtual discussion groups, one-on-one check ins, gender-affirming clothing and makeup, assistance with resumes and acquiring a job, food deliveries, and more.
- Project TRANS has provided important Discussion and Support groups, as well as a Name & Gender Marker Change Clinic. Center staff have written gender-affirming letters for gender confirmation surgeries, and linked clients to care including primary care, specialty HIV care and prevention, hormone replacement therapy, legal assistance, and referrals.
- Latin@ Services has helped with support, advocacy, housing and rental assistance, translation services for documents, referrals to legal help, food resources, health education and referrals, and crisis intervention.
- We conducted critical Civic Engagement work, engaging with our community. We sent 4,500 text messages to our community sharing Census information. We conducted the largest non-partisan voter engagement campaign in our history, making over 60,000 calls and texts to supporters of The Center encouraging participation in the 2020 elections, which resulted in 96% of those we spoke to turning out to vote. And we served as a 4-day Super Polling site, helping more than 1,200 community members to cast their ballot.
- Our Emergency Referral and Resource Phone Line has fielded more than 2,800 calls to help and direct our community to resources.
Importantly, we have continued to be a trusted messenger to our community, to inform, advocate, provide services, as well as help and hope, and always, always welcome, support, and value every single community member. If you need The Center’s Emergency Services, please reach out and know you are not alone - call 619.800.4252 from 9am - 4pm or 619.800.4216 from 4pm - 9pm or email frontdesk@thecentersd.org.
I am so proud of our Center team, and just how much we have been able to create innovative ways to serve our LGBTQ community when you needed us the most. I want to thank our amazing Center team for all of their incredible work over this past year, and I want to thank all of you for supporting us every step of the way.
There is hope on the horizon for the end of this pandemic, but we all must continue to do our part until we can all receive the vaccine. Our strong, amazing, and resilient LGBTQ community will get through this tremendously difficult time, as we have in the past, together. And I look forward with bold hope to the day when we can all gather again in community.
In community,
|
|
-Cara Dessert (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
PLEASE VISIT OUR COMMUNITY OFRENDA (ALTAR)
|
|
This week, The Center is acknowledging the one-year mark of the Governor’s Stay-At-Home order to combat the pandemic and the life-altering year and the heartbreaking loss it brought. Every culture has traditional approaches to commemorating those that they have lost, such as singing a dirge, burning incense at a shrine, or creating an ofrenda (altar).
To honor and remember individuals who have passed this year, we invite you to The Center’s community ofrenda to pay respects however you do so: light a candle, burn incense, sing, pray, meditate, leave flowers, pictures, food, or hand written sentiments. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing so that we may all stay healthy as we work together to end this pandemic. If you are unable to attend and would like special assistance to honor a loved one or if you have questions, please contact Ricardo at ofrenda@thecentersd.org
Ofrenda hours and information:
- Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19 from 4pm - 7pm
- Saturday, March 20 from 10am - 1pm
- At The San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre Street, San Diego CA 92103 in the side parking lot
|
|
COVID-19 VACCINATION UPDATE
|
|
The Center wants to keep you up to date on the latest COVID-19 vaccine information. Beginning March 15, the COVID-19 vaccination will be made available to those with certain health conditions, disabilities, illness, living spaces, or work environments that put them at higher risk for serious COVID-19 illness, including those living with HIV. Also eligible are congregate residential settings, such as an incarceration/detention facilities, homeless shelters, or behavioral health facilities
To get up to date on COVID-19 vaccine phases, information on who is eligible, details on vaccination sites, or to make your appointment, visit the San Diego County website.
|
|
Mark your calendar for this coming Saturday, March 20 beginning at 5 pm, as The Center is bringing back the fun with one of our signature fundraising events, Tantrums & Tiaras! Hosted by Babette Schwartz, an entertaining virtual pre-show event will precede a special virtual viewing of last year’s 2020 production of Tantrums & Tiaras. You can watch on The Center's Facebook page or Tantrums & Tiaras Facebook page. Proceeds from this event will support not only The Center's Emergency Services, but also our local drag performers, and bar and restaurant service staff who have been so impacted by loss of employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit here for details and to donate: thecentersd.org/events/tantrums.
With gratitude,
Ian Johnson (Pronouns: He/Him/His)
Director of Development
|
|
WELCOME TO NEW BOARD MEMBERS
|
|
The Center is delighted to welcome two new board members, Janessa Goldbeck and Ben Mendoza. We look forward to their leadership!
About Janessa Goldbeck (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Janessa Goldbeck is the founding principal of Sui Generis Strategies, a professional services firm that provides organizations with the tools to pass legislation and achieve meaningful change.
A Marine Corps veteran, Janessa served as a Combat Engineer Officer from 2012-2019. She deployed in support of NATO operations and served as a Uniformed Victim Advocate, providing care to service members who experienced sexual assault. In 2020, Janessa served as the co-director of California Veterans for Biden and on the national Women Veterans for Biden council. Before the repeal of DADT, Janessa worked in Washington, DC, as a human rights advocate, serving as the national field director for Genocide Intervention Network. In this role, she led a diverse coalition to build political will for legislative and diplomatic efforts to protect civilians in conflict zones. Born and raised in San Diego County, Janessa is a graduate of San Dieguito HS Academy and Northwestern University. She is a member of Mayor Gloria’s Back to Work SD task force and a board member of MANA de San Diego and the Truman National Security Project.
About Ben Mendoza (Pronouns: They/Them)
Ben Mendoza currently serves as a Council Representative for Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera for the Ninth Council District in the City of San Diego. Ben received their Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Seattle University and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the School of Leadership and Education Studies at the University of San Diego.
They are passionate about supporting and facilitating leadership and identity development work and advocating for an intersectional approach to justice. They currently serve as the Assistant Parade Manager and member of the LGBTQ+ Survivor Taskforce for San Diego Pride. Additionally, they’ve been involved in Center programming such as the Young Professionals Council (Class of 2017), Project TRANS, and AIDS Walk & Run. Ben identifies as a Queer, Transgender, Non-Binary, Latinx community builder.
|
|
The Center is continuing our advocacy for a more equitable San Diego City budget with our partners at the Community Budget Alliance (CBA). CBA is putting on a series of workshops to deconstruct sections of the City’s budget to educate our community on what is included and what CBA’s budget priorities are. Join the upcoming online forums to help imagine a new vision for the City of San Diego so we can advocate together for a true People's Budget. Want to stay up to date on The Center’s Advocacy efforts? Click here to sign up.
Tuesday, March 16, 5:30pm-7pm
Environmental Justice: Panelists will talk about what we mean when we say environmental justice. We’ll also talk about what we’re fighting for this year and want to hear from you about your priorities for environmental justice.
Tuesday, March 23, 5:30pm-7pm
Housing & Tenants’ Rights: Panelists will provide community education about resources for renters and the need for more protections. The panel will also talk about what we’re fighting for in this year’s budget and the ongoing fight to protect tenants.
Tuesday, March 30, 5:30pm-7pm
People’s Economy: People not corporations are the economy. Panelists will talk about how we can protect workers rights and explore how any economic recovery efforts must put people first.
Tuesday, April 6, 5:30pm-7pm
Redefining Public Safety Panel #2: Invest in Communities: Panelists will discuss how investing in communities and community care is what makes us safe.
|
|
CENTER VIRTUAL EVENTS & TRAININGS
|
|
Many community members have faced financial hardship and food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, for the month of March, The San Diego LGBT Community Center and Hillcrest Brewing Company will be partnering to offer a free meal. For questions and to sign up, please reach out to Sarah Merk-Benitez at smerkbenitez@thecentersd.org.
|
|
RESOURCES FOR THE BLACK LGBTQ COMMUNITY
|
|
VIRTUAL OFFERINGS FROM THE CENTER
|
|
Join in community for discussion and support groups, special programs, 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.
|
|
COMMUNITY EVENT SPOTLIGHT
|
|
Join our partners at San Diego Pride as we all virtually celebrate Transgender Day of Empowerment on Friday, April 2, 2021 from 6pm-7pm! On this special evening, enjoy speeches, live performances, community awards, the awarding of the Tracie Jada O'Brien Student Scholarships, and more! This event will be interpreted in American Sign Language. RSVP here: and join the live stream directly here https://sdpride.org/live/. For more information contact Sarafina Scapicchio, she/her, San Diego Pride's Director of Philanthropy at 619.906.0024 or sarafina@sdpride.org.
If you are interested in contributing to trans excellence and would like to support a San Diego scholar, please click here to donate. 100% of donations to the scholarship fund are given directly to local transgender students seeking higher education, and are tax deductible.
|
|
If you are behind on your SDG&E bill or have outstanding bills, and you are an SDG&E CARE or FERA customer, you may be eligible for debt forgiveness through SDG&E’s Arrearage Management Payment (AMP) Plan. This plan offers qualified, current SDG&E customers financial assistance to help reduce past due account balances. AMP is a 12-month payment plan that forgives 1/12 of a participant’s debt after each on-time payment of the current month’s bill. After 12 on-time payments of each current month’s bill, the participant’s debt will be fully forgiven up to a maximum of $8,000. Enrolled participants are protected from disconnection while participating.
- Find out if you qualify at sdge.com/AMP or call an SDG&E AMP Service Specialist at 1-888-204-3576.
- Find out if you qualify for other SDG&E Assistance programs at sdge.com/assistance.
|
|
LOOKING FOR MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT?
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|