Welcome to the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center
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Our Pride in Connecting Our Community! September will feature a landmark trio of fun activities in the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Community, beginning with the Rainbow Festival on Labor Day weekend. Then comes the Sacramento Valley AIDS Run-Walk, September 12. A brand new block dinner party, being called a Solidarity Dance Party, is being announced for Saturday night, September 18. Labeled "Saddle Up and Ride it Out," it's a new joint event benefitting the Gay & Lesbian Center, Capital City AIDS Fund, and Capital Crossroads Gay Rodeo Association. YEAH! All three events will involve our community, and provide benefits for the Center and other LGBTQI community organizations. We're coming together! Let's continue the incredible uniting and welcoming feelings we experienced at Sacramento Pride. We're here, and here are the events--the newest first! Come on down! |
Sacramento Valley AIDS Run/Walk - Sunday, September 12, 2010 The Center is both a sponsor and a beneficiary of this event. Those Early Risers who are not running or walking are needed to join the Center Early Team, 5:30 AM at the Capitol, to prepare and deliver fruit and snacks for the refreshment stations. The Center will host a refeshment station on L Street outside the Center.
At the SVARW Website, you can make a general donation, or sponsor your favorite friend from 20-Somethings, SIN or the Men's Discussion Group! The Sacramento Valley AIDS Run/Walk(SVARW) is a cooperative effort among all the HIV/AIDS service organizations. In 2009, SVARW raised over $110,000 in walker/runner donations, over $50,000 in cash sponsorships, and $70,000 worth of in-kind sponsors. Together, as a community, we raised essential funds for our eleven HIV/AIDS service organizations in the Sacramento area.
Schedule: 5:30am: Refreshment Prep - Capitol
7:30am: Onsite Registration at West Steps of Capitol
8:00am: Runners and Walkers Welcome
8:30am: 5k Run Starts
9:00am: 5k Walk Starts
10:00am: Award Ceremony and Health Fair
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Continue the Sacramento Celebrations at the RAINBOW FESTIVAL
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 - 20th & K
The traditional farewell to summer rainbow street fair.
Exhibits, entertainment, food & drink!
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SACRAMENTO PRIDE: 2010 and Beyond.... Sacramento Pride Survey Results Demonstrate our Queer Buying Power! You may have noticed we conducted a demographic survey at Pride. It was our first time, and 772 festival goers completed the 18-question survey designed and implemented by Dr. Brian DiSarro, Assistant Professor of Government at California State University, Sacramento. The purposes of the survey were to get information on who came to Pride, and marketing information for future years. The respondent group represented 9.6% of total Pride attendees. The vast majority of respondents heard about Pride from friends (37.5%) so thanks for "talking it up." With the success of the Capitol Mall site, more people will be talking about it next year! A little over half of the respondents identified as female, with nearly 8% identifying themselves as transgender or gender queer. Respondents reported a high level of education with 83% reporting they had at least "some" college and 40% had a bachelor's degree or higher. About ½ the respondents were under 35 years of age and nearly 50% worked in white collar occupations.
Attendees came from all over the greater Sacramento area. Although Lavender Heights has long been identified as a core area for our community, in reality we are dispersed throughout the greater Sacramento area and this needs to be incorporated in our future marketing efforts.
A great boost to seeking vendors and sponsors for future Prides was the finding that 92% of respondents said that they would be more likely to buy products or use services from a company or agency that sponsored Pride or had a booth at the festival. A large number of respondents said they were planning on staying downtown after Pride and patronizing businesses. Another important fact for soliciting the support of businesses is that 41.2% of respondents reported a household income of $55,000 or more. The buying power of the gay community is real POWER.
Thank you to all the 772 survey takers and Center volunteers who assisted us in gathering these important details. This information is going to help immeasurably in planning for next and subsequent years.
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CENTER PROGRAMS
The Center offers many programs, such as the Queer Youth Program, 20 Somethings, Transgender Group, the Legal Community Clinic, among others. From time to time we will be featuring updates and descriptions of our programs here. In this issue we present Q-DEAF.
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| Q-DEAF Q-DEAF is a group of LGBTQI deaf and hard of hearing individuals, friends, family, interpreters and allies. The group meets at the Center on Friday evenings. Deaf and LGBTQI related issues, self image and self reliance, careers and social networking are some of the topics and activities at the weekly meetings, as well as teaching and refreshing American Sign Language (ASL) skills. Q-DEAF was formed in January 2010, as a project of the Center and Strategies to Empower People, Inc. (STEP). STEP is a local private agency providing employment development opportunities for deaf adults with developmental disabilities. Q-DEAF founder and facilitator Kyle Cole paired up with local community organizer Tyx Pulskamp to empower non-deaf advocates in creating an accessible LGBTQI community in Sacramento. The Sacramento Deaf community is active and visible. Deaf socials happen weekly all across town, but until last January there were no groups specifically addressing the needs of LGBTQI Deaf. "I volunteer because my job here is important. We are all connected. Deaf or not, we can all share and learn American Sign Language," said Cole, talking to the Friday night group. "We are building something here, but we cannot possibly see the long term impact," Pulskamp explains. "Deaf Culture, vibrant and diverse, reflects the pride we cherish as activists and allies in the Queer Community. Similarities between the two communities will allow for lasting alliances to be built." This summer, Q-DEAF networked with LGBT community leaders Elaine Stagner and Drea Atkinson, of Signing for Pride and Peace, and played a key role in advocating for an accessible 2010 Pride. Sacramento Pride 2010, featured qualified ASL interpreters at both stages. "At the SacPride volunteer orientation, I met three deaf lesbian volunteers. That was all it took to convince me our vision last fall was not only pertinent and timely, but necessary. Our community is only as diverse as we make it," Pulskamp admits. On September 30, 2010, the California Association of the Deaf will host the World Federation of the Deaf's Proclamation of International Day of Sign Languages. Plan to join the Association and the community in their public celebration of sign language and the Deaf Culture, Thursday September 30, 9AM - 1PM on the west steps of the Capitol, 10th & L Streets, Sacramento. The program will include speakers, storytellers and entertainment. |
Community Events Calendar A Sampling of upcoming events that may be of interest in and around our LGBTQI community! |
| Gender Bender Ball The Gender Health Center is a newly formed non-profit organization meeting the counseling needs of the LGBTQI community in Sacramento focusing on the "T" or transgender. A masquerade ball fundraiser for the Gender Health Center is planned for Sunday, August 29, at Headhunters Patio, 7PM - 11PM. There will be costumes, music, dancing, live shows, and loads of fun. A mask making party is scheduled for August 15th, for more info email
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. Website: thegenderhealthcenter.org |
4th Annual Gender Spectrum Family Conference - September 3-6, 2010, Berkeley, California
This groundbreaking conference began 4 years ago to meet the increasing need for information and support for families raising gender non-conforming, gender variant, and transgender children and teens. The conference brings together people from all over the world to connect with one another, meet with experts in the field, share our stories, find support, gather current information, and come to a better understanding of the journey as parents and others in these children's lives.
For information go to: Gender Spectrum |
California Mens Gathering - Santa Rosa Sept. 3-6
California Mens Gathering is an annual extended weekend retreat where men explore different ways of looking at life and expand concepts of self while having a lot of fun at the same time. CMG'ers come from all across California and from out of state and other countries. The men who attend CMG Gatherings are a diverse group of varying ages, beliefs, religious traditions, and spiritual practices. They include differently-abled men and young and older men from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. While CMG'ers are predominately gay and bisexual, all men 18 years or older are welcome including those who are transgender or straight. For more information go to CMG.
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| The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center Newsletter is published bi-monthly on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Information and announcements are accepted pending review. Publishing deadline for copy is the Friday preceding publication date. Submissions, or comments about this newsletter, may be submitted to
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Gay & Lesbian Center Membership
The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center raises funds from many sources, but many people don't know this is a membership organization! You can become a member and help support the Center with a pledge for a monthly donation. Brochures and information are available at the Center, at Center activities, and on the "donate" link on the Center website, www.SacCenter.org.
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Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center 1927 L Street Sacramento, CA 95811 P(916) 442-0185 F (916) 325-1840 www.SacCenter.org www.SacramentoPride.org |
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Marriages On Hold Thru End of the Year The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put same-sex marriages on hold once again yesterday, pending hearing the appeal of Judge Walker's landmark decision on the constitutionality of Prop 8. The Court of Appeals has expedited the case and will begin hearing oral agreement the week of December 6, 2010. But, that provides little comfort to the many couples, several of whom are part of our Center family, who have been preparing to take their wedding vows this week following the tumultuous course of this case. A press conference was held at the Center at 6:00 Monday. Jake Rowe, Treasurer of the Board of Directors, expressed our sadness and disappointment at the latest delay in the case. In a statement to the Sacramento Bee, Diana Luiz, who had planned to marry to marry her partner, Nicola Simmersbach, this Wednesday, said, "It's pretty tough. I just found out, and it was the first time I actually cursed out loud about this. It's just not fair that we don't have the right to get married like everyone else." That sentiment and frustration was clearly evident at the Center Monday afternoon. Diana and Nicola, along with Center Executive Director Wendy Rae Hill and fiancée Carrie Tedrick, had already made trips to the County Clerk's office last week as the case developed. Joining Center staff at the press conference were representatives of Equality Action Now, California Faith for Equality, and Equality California demonstrating the united commitment of our community to this fundamental issue. In place of the planned Wedding Ceremonies, Equality Action Now is planning a Protest Rally and March around the State Capitol. This will begin on the West Steps at 6:00pm, Wednesday August 18 (when hundreds of same-sex marriages should have taken place). In the legal world, expediting the case is seen as a positive move. Theodore Olson, one of the defense lawyers, put it this way: the Court "recognized the importance and pressing nature of this case and the need to resolve it as quickly as possible by issuing this extremely expedited briefing schedule." Also at issue is whether the Yes on Prop 8 defenders have legal standing to press the appeal, since they are not named defendants in the case. Despite the complications, there is the possibility that a decision could come early next year because of the expedited process. Events of the past months, including the Sacramento Pride Parade and Festival, demonstrate the Center's vital involvement and commitment to our community. We are asking for your help in supporting the activities of the Center. Won't you help with a quick one-time donation to help support the Center's operations? Now is the time. Make an expression of your commitment today with a donation of any amount. Online donations are easy on the Center website, www.SacCenter.org. For other information, call the Center at 916-442-0815. Thank you! |
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The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center is dedicated to serving the lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual community of the Greater Sacramento area and surrounding counties and its allies by providing space, diverse programming, advocacy, and cultural competency awareness in an affirming, compassionate and safe environment. |
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Center Appoints New Executive Director |
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After a three month search that included over fifty applicants, the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center has selected Wendy Rea Hill as its new Executive Director. In making the announcement, Board President, Gail Mancarti stated, “We are excited that Wendy has accepted our invitation to serve as the new Executive Director! We believe she brings the right combination of talents that will help us expand programs and make the Center a highly respected location for advocating and building our community.” A search committee was formed in January that included the board and members living in the greater Sacramento area. Narrowing the large number of applicants down to three finalists was difficult. Committee member, Aaron Eichenberger, stated, “Each of the finalists would make valuable contributions to the future success of the Center. However, after speaking with personal references, members of the community and allies, the committee selected the person we believe can best lead the Center at this important time in its history”. Hill is enthused about leading the Center as it fulfills its new mission to provide a safe gathering place for LGBTQI people of all ages and builds on its ability to be a major conduit for positive change and leadership within the community. Hill stated, “I am ready to work with all segments of our community to form partnerships, increase services and provide financial security that makes the Center a success story”. |
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Letter from the Interim Executive Director |
At the end of summer 2009, I was given a new opportunity to serve the LGBTQI community when I was hired as Interim Executive Director at the Center. It has been a high point in my life and I am grateful for the outpouring of help I received from so many individuals, organizations and businesses. The Center continues to be on the verge of reaching its potential of service to the local LGBTQI community and greater Sacramento region. Individuals who founded the organization wanted it to be a central place in the community for discussing and solving a variety of social, health and economic issues. Over time, the organization has moved through a variety of directions that sometimes helped solve pressing issues and other times divided the very groups it was created to bring together. This evolution is very similar to what has occurred in other centers across America.
Today, as a new Executive Director is ready to take over my office there is anticipation and energy building about what can happen next. Yes, there are significant challenges ahead, but there are also many opportunities for the Center to "come of age".
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Read our April 23rd newsletter featuring the following articles: |
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