“ The rainbow colors of the Monterey County LGBTQ+ community shouted Saturday during a pride parade with allies in Seaside. Some 700 people took part in the Peninsula Pride Celebration and Parade, starting on Fremont Boulevard and ending at Oldemeyer Center on Hilby Avenue. ...There hasn’t been a gay pride parade in the county for about 10 years, Williamson said. And Saturday’s parade was the first one with an after-parade program. David Reichard, another organizer, echoed Williamson’s sentiments. “It was much bigger than I thought it was … [Read more...]
[Reminder] Students are Invited to Meet and Hear Kate Kendell – Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian Rights, July 16
Kate Kendell is a nationally renowned advocate for social justice. Kate is an attorney who worked closely with Ted Olson and David Boies on the Supreme Court case overturning Prop 8. She has an active voice in major media including NPR, The New York Times, and CNN. In 2010, Kate Kendell was named a "woman who could be president" by the League of Women Voters of San Francisco. In her compelling and informative style, Kate will discuss the current climate in our nation regarding social justice issues pertaining to youth and the LGBTQ community. … [Read more...]
2017 Logo Trailblazers Honors, June 23
Join us in celebrating LGBTQ equality, with a night of cheers and thanks to those who have blazed trails for our community. We're honoring pioneers such as Alvin Ailey, Cyndi Lauper, and the creators of Will & Grace (Max Mutchnick & David Kohan) + more! Watch the show June 23rd @ 9pm! For more information visit logotv.com/trailblazer-honors Below are exclusive videos from Logo about LGBTQ historical figures - all narrated by Laverne Cox: Mattachine Society & Daughters of Bilitis - “The history of gay resistance groups began long … [Read more...]
LGBTQ News: Your First Trans Friend: A Beginner’s Guide
“Being someone’s only trans friend is a big responsibility. We often become people’s de-facto Trans Ambassador, we are bombarded with questions upon coming out, and we have to clear up misconceptions spread by pop culture and the media, all while also navigating our own new public identity and the feelings that come with it. We know you mean well, but it can be a lot. There’s a do/don’t list a mile long when engaging with your newly-out trans friend, and I wanted to talk a bit about some common ones that I’ve noticed in my first few months as … [Read more...]
Local LGBTQ News: “Santa Cruz Pride 2017 shows a unified front”
“Tam Welch is a queer single parent and a Korean-American adoptee. Welch is also a gender and sexuality specialist at UC Santa Cruz’s Cantú Queer Center and Grand Marshal of the 2017 Santa Cruz Pride. Despite the multiple signifiers attached to identity these days, Welch asked the crowd gathered at Santa Cruz Pride on Sunday to cast aside labels and rally together as a unified, activist whole. “We have seen local activist groups lose sight of the big picture by attacking potential allies. Now is not the time undermine one another. It’s a time … [Read more...]
Local LGBTQ News: “Delta High grad leaves legacy in queer youth community”
“At Delta, Rocamora started a peer counseling program. The program aims to give teens an alternative ear to their issues, with Rocamora saying there is a stigma in talking to adults...“It’s nice to have a peer-on-peer counseling because they’re just sort of relating things in an easier way.” Read the full article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel … [Read more...]
Remembering Pulse-Orlando Events Around Santa Cruz County!
Remembering and Honoring: Pulse-Orlando, Watsonville Join Pajaro Valley Pride for an evening dedicated to sharing words, and holding space where we can continue to show our solidarity with the ongoing march for equality. Tragedies like these reminds us that we yet have work to do, and why it's important to stand together regardless of social creeds and backgrounds. Only united in love can we come closer to a peaceful society where these events will only linger as historical memories. Let's share poems, music, thoughts, ideas, and art, which … [Read more...]
[Reminder] Pajaro Valley Pride Scholarship – Deadline Extended Through May
Part of our efforts include providing resources to our community in the form of scholarships to local LGBTQIA+ and allies that aspire to pursue higher education. We want to foster our leaders and provide them with the support, confidence, and resources needed to help them aim for long-term goals. We are reaching out to you to inform you that we will be awarding two scholarships to senior students with in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. In order to be eligible for the scholarship the applicants must meet the following … [Read more...]
LGBTQ News: “Berkeley schools go beyond bathrooms to support gender non-conforming students”
“Berkeley Unified first officially acknowledged transgender students and families when it adopted the Welcoming Schools curriculum at all elementary schools in 2010. The curriculum, developed by the Human Rights Campaign, includes lessons on LGBTQ families and gender expression and teaches students not to bully or stereotype classmates who do not conform to gender conventions. Last year, California began requiring all districts to touch on those topics in sex-education lessons. “ Read the full article in Berkeleyside … [Read more...]
Local LGBTQ News: “Santa Cruz County educators pioneering LGBTQ history curriculum”
“Under a $10,000 Diversity Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, Indra and 10 other educators from school districts across the county have met monthly since January to learn to bring LGBT history into their classrooms. Each was given a curriculum guide aimed at U.S. history courses and later reported back on student reception to the topic.” Read the full article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel … [Read more...]