Hola Center Community!
 
This is Carolina Alcoser Ramos (she/her), and I have been at The Center going on 19  years and I currently serve as the Client Crisis Responder & Community Advocate. I’m delighted to be this week’s guest author!
 
These past few years have been difficult for our community, and we missed seeing each other, making each other feel seen, lifting each other up, and being in community. As we began to re-open our doors last year at The Center, with more and more groups meeting in person, we started hearing from women in the community who remembered when we used to host the Red Hot Dance. Some of the women I know personally who attend the groups that I lead, like Lestinas and Mi Familia, have been asking, when is Red Hot Dance coming back?
 
I am delighted to let you know that the Red Hot Dance, a warm and welcoming space for queer women 21 and over, is back on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 6-9pm! We know it’s important to create a safe space, outside of a bar, for women to dance, socialize, meet new friends, and who knows, maybe meet a new love just in time for Valentine’s Day! Spaces that are dedicated to women, especially queer women, are disappearing; back in the 1980s, there were upwards of 200 bars that catered to lesbian, bisexual, and queer women in the U.S. Now there are less than 30 lesbian bars left! 

The Red Hot Dance of years past was a wonderful tradition, and a way to intentionally center all women in our community space here at The Center. In planning the return of this event, we seized the opportunity to create an inclusive event and deliberately center women. Red Hot is open to all lesbians, transgender women, cisgender women, nonbinary folks, womxn, womyn, queer women, dykes, bisexual women, pansexual women, or any combination. We welcome back our beloved DJ Laura Jane, who has DJ's our dance over the years. We reached out to women-owned businesses for our drinks this year, and our dance floor will be accessible for those with limited mobility. We hope to see you there!

Intentional women's spaces like the Red Hot Dance or our Lesbian Café for women 50+, held every second Friday of each month, are important because as women, we know the power that comes from being with other women in community. We inspire each other, cheer each other on, share resources, support and uplift, and advocate for ourselves and each other. Events like these give us the opportunity to be in community and to celebrate us, our lives, and our love.
 
I hope you join us for the Red Hot Dance on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 6-9pm at The Center. All queer women 21+ are invited. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door and includes drinks and heavy appetizers. No one will be turned away if you are unable to donate. We’ve already received great feedback from LGBTQ women in our community, including some questions about who can attend. If you feel that you might belong at Red Hot, you do! Don’t miss this reimagined, women-focused, fun event. RSVP here!
 
For more information about this event, please reach out to women@thecentersd.org or call us at (619) 692-2077. 
 
Hasta pronto,

Carolina Alcoser Ramos (She, Her)
Client Crisis Responder & Community Advocate

• The Neighborhood Food Distribution, part of the Community Cares Project of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, is free and open to all. Held on the first Tuesday of each month from 8am - 10am. The next Neighborhood Food Bank is Tuesday, February 7, 2023.
• The Senior Food Bank, held in partnership with Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, is free and open to low-income seniors 60 and older. Held on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 1pm - 3pm. The next Senior Food Bank is tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28, 2023. 

Masks are required indoors and clients are required to be vaccinated. Flexibility for the mask requirement will be allowed for special health circumstances.

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

• MPOX vaccine eligibility has expanded in San Diego County. MPOX is now available to anyone who may be at risk. Visit our website for more information about the MPOX vaccine. MPOX vaccination appointments are available at myturn.ca.gov for those without health insurance or healthcare provider. 
• To get notifications of vaccine availability, please sign up to the MPOX alert system by texting COSD MONKEYPOX to 468-311.

• La eligibilidad para la vacuna contra MPOX se ha ampliado en el condado de San Diego. La vacuna MPOX ahora está disponible para cualquier persona que pueda estar en riesgo. Visita nuestro sitio web para más información sobre 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.
• 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.

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests (COVID.gov/tests has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates)
• Orders will ship free starting the week of December 19, 2022