Happy New Year, Friend! PFLAG SDC wishes you all the best in 2023. And what’s the best way to celebrate the start of this new year? With a PFLAG SDC membership!
Your membership is what enables us to have booths at the many fairs and festivals, host support group meetings, provide scholarships, advocate for the community, and distribute this newsletter, among other things. If you’re receiving this newsletter and aren’t yet a member, please sign up now at https://pflagsdc.org/membership/. Membership starts at as little as $30/year for individuals, with $15 of that going to PFLAG National. (But higher levels of membership are always appreciated!) Sign up or renew now and your membership is good through December 2023!
Help us continue our advocacy and education efforts supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in San Diego County. Become a Member now to start the new year off with a bang.
(Photo by James Owen @jhjowen on unsplash)
Welcome PFLAG SDC’s New Officers🎉
The words we have long awaited to hear are now reality — we have a new PFLAG San Diego County President! We welcome our former Treasurer, Nancy Colbert, to her new role as President. Nancy was Treasurer of PFLAG SDC for over five years and we thank her for stepping into this new role.
New PFLAG SDC President Nancy Colbert
Also welcome as new Treasurer Mike Archer. Although Mike has lived in San Diego County for several years, he is new to the PFLAG SDC Board. He was formerly treasurer of his Kansas City PFLAG Chapter, and we know we are in capable hands as he is a CPA.
New PFLAG SDC Treasurer Mike Archer
Young Professionals Council Now Accepting Applications
The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s Young Professionals Council (YPC) aims to advance The Center’s twin goals of promoting LGBTQ+ health/wellness and human rights, and fosters a culture of diversity, service, leadership, advocacy, and camaraderie among LGBTQ+ and allied San Diegans. The 2023 YPC Academy is now accepting applications through Sunday, January 8.
The YPC Academy was created in 2012 to develop and empower the next generation of young LGBTQ+ people and their allies. The academy expands the ranks of young people in the LGBTQ+ justice movement by enhancing their skillset, broadening their network, and activating them to grow. During the six-session academy, participants hear from elected officials, social justice and community leaders, and other local experts who help participants expand their leadership, communications, fundraising, and movement-building capabilities. Approximately 20 participants are selected each year to participate in the program.
The Center Library Grand Re-opening With Historian Lillian Faderman
Join The San Diego LGBT Center’s Senior Services Program, 50+ & Better Together, in officially opening The Center’s library to the public on Tuesday, January 10, from 2-4 pm. The event will feature author and American Historian Lillian Faderman (she/her). Lillian will share a presentation on LGBTQ+ history especially focused on the rich LGBTQ+ history here in San Diego. In addition, the library will be open to be toured by attendees. Starting mid-January, this library space will be one where LGBTQ+ seniors can gather on a regular basis for game days, advisory committees, lunches together, drop-in days, and more!
Light snacks will be provided. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and one booster are required. Masks must be worn. For more information, email seniors@thecentersd.org or call 619.692.2077 ext. 147. Located at 3909 Centre Street
PFLAG SDC Book Club 📚
The next selection for the PFLAG SDC Book Club will be the memoir Unprotected, by Billy Porter. We’ll meet Tuesday, January 24, 7-8:15 p.m on Zoom for a discussion moderated by newsletter editor Louise Julig. You must register separately for each book club meeting. Use the link below to register.
Porter is the Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner known for the TV show Pose and Broadway’s Kinky Boots. But his story goes back far before any of that success, when he was a bullied young boy in Pittsburgh and later a teen trying to find his way as a gay Black man in a world where just being himself required constant vigilance.
We are proud to partner with Libélula Books and Co., a local queer-owned, Latinx-owned, Indigenous-owned independent bookstore at 950 South 26th Street in Barrio Logan. Check out their in-person location or buy the book through their Bookshop.org store. If audiobooks are more your thing, check out the indie-supporting Libro.com.
Spread The Word About PFLAG SDC 2023 Scholarships
LGBTQ+ students who reside in San Diego County. In 1999, now-Mayor Todd Gloria was a recipient of one of two scholarships awarded that first year.
We appreciate you spreading the word to LGBTQ+ high school seniors and full-time undergraduate/graduate students to apply for PFLAG scholarships. Half-time applicants will be considered with an explanation of the circumstances that prevents them from attending full-time. A minimum of 18 scholarships will be awarded in the amounts of $2,000 or more. Besides general academic scholarships, we award scholarships in specific areas of study: STEM, Fine and Applied Arts, LGBTQ+ Studies or history, community college, and certified vocational programs.
The application, requirements, and other scholarship-related info are on our web site: www.pflag.com/scholarships/. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2023.
Our goal is to maximize the amounts of the scholarships and to award more scholarships. You may donate any time: pflag.com/support-our-students and either donate to the General Scholarship Fund or a specific scholarship. We are offering a recurring monthly donation option.
We are maintaining our commitment that 100% of funds donated for scholarships goes to students. All donations are 100% tax deductible (tax ID# 33-0512868). For 2022, we awarded a record 18 scholarships totaling $48,000.
Our motto is “Change a life, change the world.” Please help us continue to change lives.
The scholarship ceremony will take place in person this year on June 3, 2023.
For questions, contact scholarships@pflag.com
Around San Diego In December
On December 4, our PFLAG SDC Board and facilitators met for a holiday gathering at Baja Betty’s (top pic above). Besides the delicious food and company, social director Annette Ottone planned fun games and activities, prizes included. We ended up with a rousing rendition of Jingle Bells, complete with Annette accompanying us on guitar and actual jingle bells!
December 10th marked our yearly participation in The Center’s “Come Home for the Holidays” (there was a year hiatus during Covid). There was a gathering of local LGBTQ+ organizations where the local community gathered for fun and food. Board members Terrie Vorono and Theresa Burke (2nd pic above) were holding down the fort!
🎊What A Celebration For The Respect For Marriage Act!
A celebration for the passage of The Respect for Marriage Act celebration was held at the LGBT Center on December 13. Finally there is federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages since President Biden signed the bill into law earlier that day. What a monumental and historic victory for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Center, San Diego Pride, Trans Family Support Services, and the North County LGBTQ Resource Center were partners in hosting this joyous event. ABC 10 News San Diego covered the historic bill signing and the celebration (Celebration coverage starts at :55)
Help Advance Clinical Research For Trans And Nonbinary Teens
PFLAG SDC is approached by many businesses and organizations to promote or share their information and normally we do not post or share such requests. However, we recently learned of a research effort by former PFLAG SDC Scholarship recipient, PsyD student and Associate MFT Laura Castro.
As allies, sharing Laura Castro’s ask is something we can do to help improve statistics and data concerning those we advocate for, to change and more accurately reflect the conversation.
Laura is looking for trans and nonbinary adults who participated in family therapy as adolescents. Be part of the first study that exclusively explores the experiences of trans and nonbinary adolescents in family therapy.
Eligibility requirements:
- Live in U.S.
- Have a gender identity different than the sex assigned at birth
- Ages 19-29
- Participated in family therapy/counseling at some point from age 10-19
- Perceived gender identity, expression or nonconformity was a topic discussed in family therapy
- Speak English
Research participants will receive a $20 electronic gift card. Interviews last 45-90 minutes and will be conducted through a secure online video platform.
For more information or to see if you qualify contact:
Laura Castro (she/they),
MA Marriage and Family Therapy
Cell: 619-387-8386
Email: TGNBexperiences@gmail.com
🏳️⚧️Help For Gender-Affirming Care
The Gender Affirming Letter Access Project is a grassroots, volunteer project that aims to increase access to free letters for gender-affirming medical care.
Many people seeking gender-affirming surgery may not be aware of this organization that will write FREE letters required to provide to their surgeons in order to have their surgery covered by insurance.
NEED A LETTER? go to https://www.thegalap.org/need-a-letter/directory
☎️ 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline Now In Place
The nonprofit that operates the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline launched a pilot program for LGBTQ individuals, veterans, and anyone who feels they may be experiencing a mental health crisis; you may call or text 988.
One of the goals is to dramatically decrease the number of calls made to 911 in the time of crisis, as 911 wasn’t set up to address mental health needs. Please note, this new program does not track your location.
😍 Thank You To Our Donors! 😍
Ray and Jan Aller
Joseph Baran
Marty and Sherry Bloom
Colleen Fitzmaurice
Judith Goodman
Louise Julig
Jim and Melanie Kilgore
Charles Chan Massey
Metropolitan Community Church
Reni Schriek
Muriel Spooner
Gary Tartanian
James Ziegler
And thanks to our regular monthly donors to PFLAG San Diego County. A monthly donation helps provide predictable sources of funding for our programs and scholarships and we appreciate it very much!
Donna and Jim Bowersox
Lonnie Brunini
Anna Covici
Charles Kaminski
Maureen Steiner
Michael Wasilewski
Support Groups
❗️Note: some support group information has changed since last month
Support groups will continue to meet virtually until further notice. Check individual group for details. We encourage you to contact your support group facilitator at any time, as they will remain excellent resources for information. The support group locations, dates, and times will continue to be posted on the PFLAG San Diego County Facebook page. You can join in any of the digital meetings. For Zoom links, contact each support group.
Do You Shop On Amazon?
If you have an account with Amazon, you can help our chapter every time you shop. Go to smile.Amazon.com and search for PFLAG San Diego County. For every purchase, our chapter will receive .05% of the dollar amount of the order. This may not sound like a lot, but it adds up. So turn your Amazon habit into support for PFLAG!
Our Vision
PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Our Mission
By meeting people where they are and collaborating with others, PFLAG realizes its vision through: Support for families, allies and people who are LGBTQ+; Education for ourselves and others about the unique issues and challenges facing people who are LGBTQ+; Advocacy in our communities to change attitudes and create policies and laws that achieve full equality for people who are LGBTQ+.
