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The Center's Advocacy & The City's Budget
April 19, 2021

Dear Center Community,

As we continue to witness inequities in healthcare and law enforcement across the country, The Center’s Advocacy team is focused on one significant opportunity to create greater equity in San Diego – through a more equitable City of San Diego budget, to better our San Diego region. One of the most critical parts of The Center’s Advocacy strategy is to work in coalition with other community and justice partners, as we know there is strength in numbers. The Center is proud to be a member of the Community Budget Alliance (CBA), and together with our partners, we are advocating for a more equitable San Diego City budget. The budgeting process is complex and starts months before the final vote this coming June; CBA and The Center have been working over the last several months to inform our community about the process and how you can make your voice heard by decision makers. 
 
We are at a key point in the budget process, as Mayor Gloria released his initial budget proposal last week. The Center’s Advocacy Team is hard at work, evaluating the proposed budget, and coordinating our next steps to advocate to ensure our priorities are included.

Early in the year, both The Center and CBA released budget priorities, and then we each met with all nine City Councilmembers to talk through the importance and urgency behind our respective priorities. Each City Councilmember then wrote a budget memo of their own, identifying items they wanted included in the Mayor’s budget. Any item that was identified by at least five Councilmembers received analysis on cost, funding, impact, and more from Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) - this information was then released in a report linked here. Both the Councilmember’s budget memos and the IBA’s report were then sent to the Mayor’s office.
 
The time is now for community input. In the next few months, there will be a series of public hearings for the public to share their support or concerns with the proposed budget. The Center and CBA will continue to communicate with Councilmembers and Mayor’s office to voice our support and/or concern for elements of the proposed budget. Based on feedback from Councilmembers and the community, on May 18th, the Mayor will then release a revised budget, and then the City Council will have a final chance to act. The final City Council vote on the budget is scheduled for June 14th. As this date draws closer, The Center will continue to provide opportunities for community input, we all need to work together for an equitable San Diego City budget.
 
The Center believes the City’s budget is a moral document, one which should be equitable for all San Diegans no matter what community or council district they live in. We believe we have an opportunity to invest in communities who have been underserved for years and deserve access to the City’s critical services, while also stopping the longstanding growth in investment in the San Diego Police Department, which have seen a steady increase to their budgets year after year without decreases in crime. Now is the time for bold leadership from the City Council and the Mayor to create a more equitable budget for all San Diegans. We look forward to continuing to both advocate and help our community make their voices heard throughout this process.
 
Stay up to date on The Center’s Advocacy efforts, and opportunities for your input, with regular updates from our Advocacy team. Click here to sign up.

In Solidarity,
- Cara Dessert (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Chief Executive Officer
SAN DIEGO COUNTY UPDATES
The Center wants to keep you up to date on the latest COVID-19 vaccine and tier information, Presently, San Diego has moved into the Orange Tier and of last week, the vaccine will be expanded to everyone 16 and older. To get up to date on vaccine phases, information on who is eligible, details on vaccination sites, or to make your appointment, visit the San Diego County website.
IN THE KNOW WITH IAN
Dining Out For Life® San Diego is right around the corner – only ten days away! Have you made your plans? And most importantly, what are you in the mood for? Mexican, Italian, Vegan, American Comfort, French, fancy sandwiches, maybe just a single scoop of ice cream? All those options and more are available during this year's Dining Out For Life San Diego, now a four-day event from Thursday, April 29 - Sunday, May 2, 2021.
 
This year is such an important year to dine in, take out, and support the restaurants that give back to our community year after year, as well as support The Center’s HIV Services and Prevention programs. You can support by making an online donation, but you can also donate directly to The Center ahead of time and be entered to win $500 worth of restaurant gift cards. Click to fill out your virtual donation envelope today and then make your dining plans

- Ian Johnson (Pronouns: He/Him/His)
Director of Development
OFFERINGS FROM THE CENTER
Join us for events, trainings, discussion and support groups, and more via Zoom. 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:
CENTER FOOD RESOURCES
RESOURCES FOR THE BLACK LGBTQ COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
Covered California has officially launched a new special-enrollment period to allow Californians to benefit from lower health insurance premiums available through the American Rescue Plan -- no matter what their income levels are. This new special enrollment period runs from April 12 to December 31, 2021, and many Californians will be able to get a quality, name-brand health plan for as little as $1 per month or richer benefits for less than $100 per month, but only if they sign up for health coverage through Covered California. In addition, consumers who are directly insured through a health insurance company can switch to a Covered California health plan and could save up to $700 per month on their health coverage. Those interested in learning more about their health coverage options can also:
  • “Shop and Compare” tool that allows consumers to easily see exactly how they can benefit from the new American Rescue Plan
  • Visit www.CoveredCA.com
  • Get local help and free and confidential assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller
  • Have a certified enroller call and help for free
  • Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506
THE CENTER'S EMERGENCY SERVICES
WANT TO WORK AT THE CENTER?
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. The Center is one of San Diego’s most exciting places to work, with staff renowned for dynamic and creative teamwork, professionalism, and unparalleled heart and dedication. Check out our job listings. 
SHARE THE CENTER'S E-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/
HELP IS AVAILABLE - YOU ARE NOT ALONE
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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