“In coming weeks, a new public mural, “Unify, Decolonize, Thrive” will take shape down a once ivy-covered wall bordering the Louden Nelson Community Center along Laurel Street. By the end of the 70-foot painting, Santa Cruz history steeped in slavery, seizure of tribal lands, Chinese indentured labor and Japanese internment camps of World War II will have evolved into a literally more colorful future where “we’re all in this together.” Read the full article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel … [Read more...]

“The 17-year-old, who hails from Euless, Texas, recalled the first time he was able to use locker rooms and restrooms consistent with his gender identity in the above clip. “It was an acknowledgement of who I am and made me feel like I belonged on my team and in my school,” he said in the video, which was produced by Athlete Ally. “Transgender athletes aren’t cheating. We aren’t choosing. We belong.” Read the full story in The Huffington Post … [Read more...]

The origins of Silence = Death, which stands alongside We Shall Overcome, Sí Se Puede, We Are the 99%, and #blacklivesmatter as a touchstone of social justice movements, can be traced to a New York diner in 1985. Nights earlier, Socarrás recalls, he was “walking down Broadway towards Astor Place and having this irresistible impulse to throw myself on the sidewalk and pound my fists on the ground. I had to stop myself. I wanted to wail to heaven.” Over the previous few years he had lost so many men he loved that he stopped writing down their … [Read more...]

“Kate Kendell, a San Francisco civil rights attorney and executive director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, returned Sunday to the La Selva Beach church. Her talk focused on threats to the LGBTQ and other minority communities posed by President Donald Trump’s administration.” Read the full article in The Santa Cruz Sentinel … [Read more...]

The MAH will be hosting filmmaker, Nicole Opper for a screening of the docu-comedy series, The F Word. This series chronicles the journey of Nicole and Kristan, an Oakland-based queer couple who want to adopt a kid. This short, comedic documentary series chronicles their journey into the foster care system to become fostadopt parents, bumbling through a bizarre and bureaucratic maze in order to learn everything they can about the troubled institution on which they are staking their dreams of parenthood. After the film screening will be a … [Read more...]

Pajaro Valley Pride 2017 is seeking volunteers for this years pride event and future fundraising events! Areas volunteers are needed at are: Set up, youth zone, back stage, clean up, after party set up & clean-up (Ages 18+ only). Click Here to sign up today! When: Sunday, August 20th 2017 Time slots available between: 8am - 1am Where:  Watsonville Plaza … [Read more...]

“These strategies include actions which an individual, adult or school counselor can take through direct communication with a student as well as actions that school counselors can take to in collaboration with others to foster school-wide change.” Read the full article at Gender Spectrum … [Read more...]

“Privilege can be a daunting and complex concept. But an awareness about the way that it shapes our lives and experiences is crucial to raising compassionate, empathetic children. That’s why our favorite LGBTQ web series for kids, “Queer Kid Stuff,” is dedicating a series of episodes to helping kids understand how privilege affects their lives experiences. This first episode in the set of privilege-focused conversations features a fun song to help children wrap their heads around the abstract concept. “ Read the article and watch the video … [Read more...]

The 2017 National School Climate Survey is GLSEN's tenth national survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth. It is a crucial tool in GLSEN's mission for fighting anti-LGBTQ bias in K-12 schools across the nation. The information gathered from this survey will help GLSEN to inform education policymakers and the public about the right of all students to be treated with respect in their schools. Many students in the past have also used the survey information to advocate with their teachers and principals for safer schools for … [Read more...]

When you’re a young girl of color caught in the stifling web of educational neglect, calcified courts, and an overwhelmed incarceration system, it’s easy to become a statistic. Pushed out of society, Aisha, Mercedes, and Dani fiercely fight to survive the “school and prison nexus," with their humanity, dignity, and individuality intact. Through the varied stories of these resilient girls, Black Butterflies explores how a broken system of schools, families, and courts can collude to trap girls of color. This world premiere by award-winning and … [Read more...]