Dear Center Community,
Hello everyone! My name is Achi Vasquez (She, Hers), I am The Center's Transgender and Nonbinary Services Program Manager, and I want to invite you to join us in honoring and celebrating Transgender Awareness Week this week, as part of Transgender Awareness Month.
The month of November is a time to gather together in community, share in the experiences of our transgender and nonbinary siblings, and to encourage all of us to be better advocates. It is a time to shine a light on the systemic violence, prejudice, discrimination, and societal setbacks that our transgender and nonbinary community endures every day, as well as honor our many important contributions to society. As we gather and commemorate, we also celebrate as a form of resistance.
At The Center, Project TRANS (Transgender Referrals, Assistance, Networking and Services) is a valued resource and welcoming space for all our transgender and nonbinary siblings, providing Support and Discussion Groups, peer support and case management, referrals, social events, and help to access and navigate life-saving competent transgender and nonbinary healthcare, insurance, and providers. And we do so much more! Some examples of Project TRANS’ work includes providing gender-affirming items like binders and tuckers so that our clients can live authentically, helping eliminate barriers to transportation by giving out over 100 free bus passes this year, and helping our unhoused community by partnering with The Center’s housing services to provide first and last month’s rent to acquire housing that they otherwise would not have access to.
We host discussion groups like Diamonds In The Rough for transgender women, a Trans Masculine Discussion Group, a Trans Positive Support Group, and more. Our newest offering, Join The Femmily, is a peer support group for trans women, trans femmes, and those questioning, and takes place from an abolitionist perspective, focusing on being a safe space for people of color. This group meets in person at The Center, and is a safe space to be vulnerable, ask questions, provide support, and utilize the collective knowledge of the group. We always know that when anyone asks a question, there are others in the room who have experienced the same issues, and our community members have tons of answers and resources to share. We’ve seen clients blossom and change in so many ways when they are able to be together in community and be their true selves. This work is critical and truly does change lives – one person at a time.
In November, we have many events scheduled (check out our Project TRANS calendar) and this past weekend, The Center and Project TRANS were honored to host our community at our annual raising of the Transgender Pride Flag at Pride Plaza in Hillcrest. This meaningful ceremony, honoring the kickoff of Transgender Awareness Week, invited community members to speak about their experiences and feel the validation and support of the community.
On Sunday, November 20th, Project TRANS at The Center will host Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) in person here at The Center's Main facility (3909 Centre Street), a memorial to come together and collectively grieve those we have lost, but to also celebrate their lives. This is the first time we will hold TDOR in person at The Center since the start of the pandemic, and we are looking forward to welcoming our community back to our renovated space!
According to The Advocate, in 2022 we have seen the continuation of violent deaths of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming Americans, and that number is likely higher as “many other such deaths, with victims deadnamed or misgendered, or their deaths not reported at all.” To honor these individuals, we must all work to educate about the violence the transgender community faces and never let them be forgotten. Join us in The Center’s auditorium on November 20th from 6-8pm. You can find our full calendar of events on the Project TRANS page on The Center’s website.
We hope to see you at one or all of these events and to our transgender and nonbinary community, you always have a home at The Center. This month and every day, we see you, and we honor and celebrate you.
In Community,
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- Achi Vasquez (Pronouns: She, Her)
Transgender and Nonbinary Services Program Manager
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The Center is proud that over the past four months, our civic engagement team and amazing Center volunteers have been reaching out to voters – making tens of thousands of nonpartisan calls and texts to Center supporters – to make sure everyone had the information they needed to make their voice heard and vote in this election.
Last week, The Center was proud to serve as an official Vote Center, welcoming about 2,000 community members who dropped off their ballots, voted, or registered to vote and voted, over four days of in-person voting. We saw families, couples, individuals, first-time voters, and seniors, all come to vote at The Center! Many voters shared that they sought out The Center when deciding where to vote, including the very first person to cast their ballot at The Center on Saturday; having recently turned 18, they came and registered to vote that day, and proudly cast their ballot at Their Center.
This election, with its historic Rainbow Wave throughout the country, is about all of us. The Center is inspired by your stories, dedication, and desire to use your voices and your vote to create a brighter future. We look toward the future, knowing we need to continue to make our voices heard, hold our elected officials accountable, and advocate for issues that are important to us and affect the lives of our LGBTQ community.
- Rebekah J. Hook-Held, M.A. (Pronouns: She,Her)
Chief Public Affairs & Civic Engagement Officer
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FREE & CONFIDENTIAL
HIV/HCV AND STI SCREENINGS
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Show yourself some love with our free, confidential HIV/HCV testing and STI screenings in a compassionate and sex-positive environment with connections to health care and resources. Make your appointment today - call us at 619.692.2077 or email bethegeneration@thecentersd.org to make an appointment for Monday-Friday.
Please note that we do not offer MPOX testing as part of our testing services, please call 211 for testing assistance. Testing and screening clients are required to be vaccinated and masked while in the building, but exceptions can be made on an individual basis. Please reach out to us to ensure we can accommodate your needs!
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YOUR CENTER IS OPEN FOR YOU!
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The Center is in Phase 3 of reopening and, in addition to our virtual offerings, our in-person services are expanding at 3909 Centre Street, Monday through Friday, from 10am-7pm. For more information, visit our website, The Center's Facebook page, or call us at 619.692.2077.
Masks are required indoors and clients are required to be vaccinated. Flexibility for the mask requirement will be allowed for special health circumstances.
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November is Transgender Awareness Month!
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Looking to celebrate TRANS joy this month and always? Stay up to date with all the Transgender Month of Awareness activities happening this November with Project TRANS at The Center! We hope to see all of our LGBTQ+ community and allies present and ready to uplift one another!
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2022 U.S Trans Survey - Deadline Extended to 12/5
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The U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survey of trans people, by trans people, in the United States. The USTS documents the lives and experiences of trans and nonbinary people ages 16+ in the U.S. and U.S. territories. Take the Survey by December 5th!
USTS reports have been a vital resource, including the reports on the experiences of people of color and reports by state. Help us continue to be the largest, most diverse sample across all identities. Please spread the word to ensure that people of color, older people, those who live in rural areas, immigrants, Spanish speakers, those who are HIV+, and others hear about the survey. More than ever, it's important to ensure that trans voices will shape the future.
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If you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, please take a few moments to complete this #Out4MentalHealth survey and share it with your networks. It supports LGBTQIA+ community members in identifying system strengths and barriers based on our own lived experiences. Your responses will be utilized to help create a statewide mental health policy agenda.
Share your experiences accessing mental health care by taking the Mental Health Advocacy Priorities Survey: bit.ly/O4MHPP2022
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SDG&E recognizes that this can be a challenging time for many customers and may be able to help if you are having trouble paying your bill. You may be eligible for programs and services that can provide immediate financial assistance and help you avoid interruptions in your service. Flexible payment arrangements are available to help you pay down past due balances. Learn more at sdge.com/Payment-Arrangements.
Check out these energy assistance programs:
1. California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program: Save 30% or more every month on your bill. Find out if you qualify at sdge.com/CARE.
2. Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program: If you don’t qualify for CARE and your household has 3 or more people, you may qualify for FERA. You could receive an 18% discount on your electric bill. Visit sdge.com/FERA to learn more.
3. Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program: You may qualify to receive free energy-saving improvements for your home, such as new appliances, lighting, insulation and more. Find details at sdge.com/ESA.
4. Arrearage Management Plan (AMP): If you have outstanding bills and you are a CARE or FERA customer, you may be eligible for debt forgiveness. See if you qualify at sdge.com/AMP.
5. Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): This program offers up to $1,000 towards your energy bill. This Federal assistance program also provides support for energy-related home improvements. Learn more at sdge.com/LIHEAP.
Even if you made a recent payment or set up a flexible payment plan with SDG&E, there may still be assistance programs available to help you. For a complete list of available offerings, visit sdge.com/assistance.
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COME JOIN US AT THE CENTER!
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The San Diego LGBT Community Center is one of the most rewarding places to work, renowned for dynamic and creative teamwork, professionalism, and unparalleled heart and dedication. Employees experience an amazing environment where community building, compassion, and care are uniquely combined with an insistent striving toward excellence and best practices. Check out the job listings here and apply today!
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STAY HEALTHY: UPDATES & RESOURCES
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Get the latest and most up-to-date information our website at thecentersd.org/mpox/. To sign up for the County's MPOX text message alert system and receive real-time information about MPOX, text COSD MONKEYPOX to 468-311.
November 14, 2022 Update:
- MPOX vaccine eligibility has expanded in San Diego County. Visit our website to see the list of groups eligible for the MPOX vaccine. MPOX vaccination appointments are available at myturn.ca.gov for those without health insurance or healthcare provider.
- MPOX vaccines are available a a walk-in or by appointment at Balboa Park Golden Hill Community Clubhouse.
- To get notifications of vaccine availability, please sign up to the MPOX alert system by texting COSD MONKEYPOX to 468-311.
We have updated our MPOX FAQs on our website, based on the questions we have heard from our community. To read the full Q&A, please visit our website.
The Center's Efforts:
- Prevention: The Center continues to educate our community with the latest information about MPOX. We continue to field calls from community members and provide guidance to access MPOX vaccines and testing resources.
- Education: The Center's MPOX resource page on our website has information in English and Spanish, and we are sending regular updates in our E-News and on The Center’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
- Advocacy: The Center is participating regularly in the San Diego HIV Planning Group's MPOX Task Force meeting, and will stay involved to ensure that our community is represented.
We will share information every week from the County of San Diego, California Department of Health, and the CDC, and will provide information to upcoming vaccination events.
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RECURSOS Y ACTUALIZACIONES SOBRE MPOX (VIRUELA DE MONO)
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Obtenga la información más reciente y actualizada directamente del condado de San Diego. El sistema de alerta de mensajes de texto MPOX del condado envía información en tiempo real sobre MPOX a través de mensajes de texto a los residentes del condado de San Diego. Para inscribirse, envíe un mensaje de texto con COSD MONKEYPOX al 468-311. Visite nuestro sitio web en thecentersd.org/mpox/ para obtener la información más reciente.
14 de Noviembre, 2022:
- La eligibilidad para la vacuna contra MPOX se ha ampliado en el condado de San Diego. Visita nuestro sitio web para ver la lista de grupos elegibles para la vacuna contra MPOX. Las citas de vacunación MPOX están disponibles en myturn.ca.gov para personas sin seguro médico o sin proveedor de atención médica.
- Las vacunas contra MPOX están disponibles sin cita previa o con cita previa en Balboa Park Golden Hill Community Clubhouse.
- Para recibir notificaciones sobre la disponibilidad de vacunas, regístrese en el sistema de alerta MPOX enviando un mensaje de texto con COSD MONKEYPOX al 468-311.
Hemos actualizado nuestras preguntas frecuentes sobre MPOX en nuestro sitio web, de acuerdo a las preguntas que hemos escuchado de nuestra comunidad. Para leer las preguntas y respuestas completas, visite nuestro sitio web.
Los Esfuerzos de The Center:
- Prevención: The Center continúa educando a nuestra comunidad con la información más reciente sobre MPOX. Continuamos respondiendo llamadas de miembros de la comunidad y brindando orientación para acceder a las vacunas MPOX y los recursos de prueba.
- Educación: La página de recursos de MPOX en nuestro sitio web esta en ingles y en español y hemos estado enviando información más reciente en nuestro E-News y en Facebook, Instagram y Twitter. Hemos actualizado nuestras preguntas frecuentes con las últimas preguntas frecuentes de nuestra comunidad.
- Abogacía: The Center esta participando en las reuniones del MPOX Task Force del Grupo de Planificación del VIH de San Diego, y The Center permanecerá involucadro para garantizar que nuestra comunidad esté representada.
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Compartiremos información cada semana del Condado de San Diego, Departamento de Salud de California, y del CDC y proporcionaremos enlaces a los próximos eventos de vacunación.
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Read the latest about COVID-19 including travel, vaccines, treatment, prevention and more. Resources to help you and yours stay healthy include:
Updates from The Center for Disease Control (CDC) including risks, vaccines, symptoms, and more.
Visit sandiegocounty.gov to schedule your vaccine and booster appointment today! Find a location and schedule appointments on My Turn.
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