Mission & Vision
Solano Pride Center builds community and provides services for Solano County’s LGBTQIA2S+ people and our allies. Solano Pride Center envisions a community where all LGBTQIA2S+ people live freely and authentically.
Do you get our weekly eBlasts on Wednesday afternoons? If not, or if you need to update your email, follow this link to register for our weekly eBlasts. Look below for some of our latest eBlasts.
Can’t find what you are looking for? Go under the Program button in the menu or go to these links:
Mental Health Resources, https://www.solanopride.org/mental-health-resources/
Support and social groups, https://www.solanopride.org/social-and-support-groups
Senior Programs: https://www.solanopride.org/senior-programs/
Youth Programs: https://www.solanopride.org/youth-programs/
HIV Prevention & Support: https://www.solanopride.org/hiv-prevention-support/
Blood Drives: https://www.solanopride.org/blood-drives/
Volunteering: https://www.solanopride.org/volunteering/
Protests & Advocacy: https://www.solanopride.org/protests-advocacy/
Studies: https://www.solanopride.org/studies/
Regional LGBTQ+ Partners: https://www.solanopride.org/regional-lgbtq-partners/
Trainings & Presentations: coming soon. Yes, we do SB 293 trainings. Email will@solanopride.org for more information.
Events:
Suisun Pride 2025: https://www.solanopride.org/suisun-pride-2025/
Pride Center Events: https://www.solanopride.org/pride-center-events/
Community Events: https://www.solanopride.org/community-events/
Suisun Pride 2024: https://www.solanopride.org/suisun-pride-2024/
Letter from the Executive Director:
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025
Happy Disability Pride Month! We celebrate this in July to commemorate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (signed into law on July 26, 1990) and fostering a sense of pride and inclusion within the disability community. It’s a time for individuals with disabilities to celebrate their identities, challenge ableism, and advocate for greater visibility and rights for absolutely every person who experiences disabilities within our Alphabet Famm. See more at the end.
After a memorable Pride Month in resistance to the Trump Administration’s abuses against us, we are reminded of our history of resistance and how we have had to sustain decades of personal and political defiance, even in the midst of conflict, challenge and struggle. No wonder I’ve been seeing “after pride comes comes wrath” meme out there on the socials.
What I’m also seeing is the beginning of others seeing what pressure the GOP and their ilk are sending our way, and deciding to do more to share from their social locations to help share our stories, such as the increase in the number of queer films being hosted online and locally at the Empress Theatre in Vallejo (see below). How will you increase your visibility outside of Pride month this year? How will you share the stories from our common past that inspired you the most? What protests will you participate in to share your voice against the tide we are seeing?
July Health & Wellness Observances
Monthly observances in July 2025
BIPOC Mental Health Month: Originally called “National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” this month aims to raise awareness of the mental health challenges faced by racial and ethnic groups that have been oppressed or disenfranchised.
Disability Pride Month: Raise awareness about the capabilities and achievements of people living with a disability. This month-long observance aims to challenge stigma and promote a more inclusive workplace and world.
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: This month, rally to help better understand the mental health struggles felt in minority communities nationwide. This is a month for education, support, and most importantly solidarity.
Non-Binary People’s Day (July 14th): Nonbinary Awareness Week, culminates in International Nonbinary People’s Day on July 14. What does non-binary mean? The definition provided by Stonewall (Britain’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality) is: “Non-binary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely. “Non-binary people can feel that their gender identity and gender experience involves being both a man and a woman, or that it is fluid, in between, or completely outside of that binary.”
International Drag Day (July 16th): International Drag Day is to celebrate the greatness and wonder that is Drag Artists from every corner of the planet. Created by Adam Stewart in 2009, International Drag Day was set up to give Drag Artists a well-deserved chance to shine and be celebrated for everything they give to gay life and culture.
July Observances Link: https://www.diversityresources.com/july-awareness-and-heritage-months/
Did you miss some of the letters from Will this year? There are links near the end of the home page with links to every eBlast going back a couple of months, or you could find all of the 2025 Pride messages here on our Suisun Pride 25 link. https://www.solanopride.org/suisun-pride-2025/
Gen Silent Showing Postponed until September
– Gen Silent and Cultural Competency Training for those serve LGBTQ+ Seniors(Joseph A Nelson Community Center, 611 Village Dr, Suisun City) register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gen-silent-a-documentary-film-community-panel-discussion-tickets-1384448014279?lang=en-us&=&%3Blocale=en_US&%3Bview=listing
Want to help us raise funds for the Center?
Give Out Day began last week, but you can give all Pride Month long! https://www.giveoutday.org/donate/Solanopridecenter
Can you spare a few dollars to help keep the Center open during these trying times? LGBTQIA2S+ Centers across the state are experiencing a drop in donations, and your support is crucial to help us continue delivering the life-saving services our community depends on.
We at Solano Pride have noticed that we have received $20,000 less in donations from the community over the last six months since the election than the previous years. We are recognizing that the uncertainty since then has definitely affected giving for our life-sustaining programs. If you are in a place to share financially right now, we definitely need your help right now. You can even set up a monthly donation of as little as $5 a month, which helps us more than you can know.
If you are giving to our General Fund to support all of our programming, you can give through our portal on Zeffy at https://tinyurl.com/Give2SolanoPride. Donate today!
| Can you spare a few dollars to help keep the Center open during these trying times? LGBTQIA2S+ Centers across the state are experiencing a drop in donations, and your support is crucial to help us continue delivering the life-saving services our community depends on. If you are giving to our General Fund to support all of our programming, you can give through our portal on Zeffy at https://tinyurl.com/Give2SolanoPride. |
Give Out Day begins May 22nd, but the Give OUT Day will receive donations all Pride Month long!
Help Solano Pride Center turn candy into cash.
Thank you for supporting the Solano Pride Center! We’ll receive profits from any items you purchase below. Order more to help us reach our fundraising goal!
Copy and paste this link in your marketing emails and social media posts:
https://www.yumraising.com/secure/solanopc_solano_pride_center2/Wilwil2345/candy
SPC Panera Day in Vacaville on July 9th! (Vallejo and Fairfield days will be in future months.)
Wednesday, July 9th from 7 am to 9 pm! 1637 E Monte Vista Ave., Vacaville, CA
Right click on the image, or go to this link to download a file to take in: https://fundraising.panerabread.com/share/8h1wGkaNA4RYbDtxKvrX
This June, the groundbreaking Hollywood feature film, PONYBOI (watch trailer here) RATED R— written by and starring intersex artist River Gallo — will premiere in theaters. It’s already won multiple international awards and debuted at Sundance 2024.
The producers offering national/regional/local LGBTQIA+ nonprofits, GSAs, and queer-affirming orgs a chance to earn $3 per stream with a limited engagement At-Home On Demand program— while helping amplify a beautiful story of identity, survival, and chosen family. You can support the Solano Pride Center by watching the film at this link online!
US Release Date: June 27, 2025
Starring: River Gallo, Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Pedretti, Murray Bartlett, Indya Moore
Director: Esteban Arango
Synopsis: PONYBOI is a groundbreaking new feature — the first ever written by and starring an out intersex person, River Gallo. Set in New Jersey and pulsing with heart, rage, tenderness, and defiance, it tells a raw and riveting story of identity, survival, and chosen family. RottenTomatoes Link.
We are looking into hosting a local screening here in Solano on Wednesday, September 17th at a local theater! Let will@solanopride.org know if you are interested in helping us host the event by volunteering that night!
Amal, showing August 10th at the
Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St, Vallejo.
You don’t want to miss this EXCLUSIVE opportunity to see AMAL on the big screen after it WON the GENERATION jury at the 2024 Galway Film Fleadh!
Synopsis: Amal, a French teacher in a Brussels high school, encourages her students to cultivate a passion for reading, defend freedom of expression, and promote acceptance of others. But her outspokenness upsets some students and colleagues tied to Islamic extremism. Yet Amal stands her ground, especially when she helps one of her students suspected of being homosexual, has been attacked, harassed and threatened.
Trailer Link. Link to buy tickets is being prepared.
Foreign Film – Oddfish
Look for this beautiful little film back at the Empress in October. Dates to be announced.
A film about friendship and dreams, about acceptance and identity. Two friends, Björn and Hjalti, run a popular seafood restaurant in a fishing village in the Westfjords of Iceland, where they were born and raised. Hjalti is a confident family man; Björn, a reserved, single guy who has always lived in his parents’ house. They usually close their restaurant during the winter, but a good opportunity arises and they decide to grab it. At the same time, Bjorn comes out as a trans woman. Prejudice is around the corner and the friendship sways under this unexpected turn of events. With a delicate and Nordic narrative, we live the doubts and fears of a person who finally makes the step to become who she is, and of a man who was raised with strict beliefs who has to work on himself to understand and to keep close to one of the most important people in his life. The inspiration came to the director by growing up in a similar small fishing town; he has shared the writing credit with Veiga Grétarsdóttir, herself a trans woman who brings much warmth, humour and authenticity to the story.
Renay Conlin, Executive Director, Vallejo Center for the Arts
renayconlin@vallejoarts.org, 707-346-7328.
Next big HANDS OFF! Fairfield, Thursday, July 17th afternoon from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the corner of Pennsylvania Street & Travis Blvd. (in front of Garamendi’s office).
(Sponsored by MobilizeUS, hosted by Azonia Haney, public citizen of Fairfield). Contact Azonia Haney to help make it happen at (503) 419-8469 or handsoff.fairfieldca@gmail.com.
The Fairfield Hands Off group has a Facebook page you should join!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1197790722132920
To register, see more details, and share, go here: https://www.mobilize.us/freedomoverfascism/event/791514/
Trangender Law Center’s ID Please Resource for helping Trans, Intersex and GNC people change their identification cards
This guide was created to help you navigate the often confusing process of obtaining California and federal identification documents that reflect your gender and identity. It is designed to be used without the assistance of an attorney. However, in some cases it may be quickest or easiest to work with one.
The information in this guide should not be considered legal advice. This guide provides you with legal information but does not seek to apply that information to your specific situation. We’ve tried very hard to make sure that this resource is accurate and up-to-date. Still, the changing nature of laws and policies concerning identity documents makes 100% accuracy nearly impossible. It’s also important to note that this is a guide to policy, and how things are supposed to work. Unfortunately, not all judges and other government employees always implement these policies by the book.
If you have a question about your specific legal situation, feel free to contact Transgender Law Center’s Legal Information Helpdesk at http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org/legalinfo and we’ll do our best to answer your question or point you to resources that may be helpful.
https://tlcenter.app.box.com/s/3da7afk3p7dn1ngoxcz3tuy18q3u1dco
EVEN IF IT IS JUST ONE DOLLAR… AIDSWALKSF: Why we participate!
Since 1987, the AIDS Walk has raised more than $900 million for HIV programs and services in the Bay Area, establishing itself as the most well known AIDS fundraiser.
Aids Walk shows us….. That not just one organization can meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. That is why this event let’s everyone know that it is not just one voice but many. It is not just one City, but a Bay Area wide effort to bring this epidemic to an end!Solano Pride Center is the only LGBTQIA2S+ Community Center in all of Solano County serving the LGBTQIA2S+ community’s HIV/AIDS needs.
Offering:
- Resources for free HIV/AIDS testing
- Free HIV testing at our Suisun City Pride Festival
- Resources for PReP & PEP
- HIV POS Support Group
Please show your support for what we do!If you can please donate, even if it is just one dollar, we need your help right now! https://sf.aidswalk.net/CristinaZaldana
Thank you so much!
Cristina
Red Cross Blood Drives come to Solano Pride Center!
Not everyone can give blood…but everyone is eligible to volunteer.
There aren’t the restrictions there used to be against our community, so schedule a time to come to the Conference Room off the Main Entrance to the Center’s building, and come out Friday, August 8th between 10 am and 3 pm. Sign up here!
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=SPBDF
See our new Blood Drives website under Programs in the menu above….
Statement on our Agency’s commitment to confidentiality in our care:
We don’t ask questions of our clients around citizenship or documentation. We never have and never will. We also do not disclose any personal or contact information about our clients without their written permission. If any public agency comes seeking such information, they will be turned away and referred to our legal representation. We are contractually obligated by the County and other funders to keep HIPAA privacy laws and protect the privacy and confidentiality of all of our clients. See our “Notice of Privacy Practices” in our Center, and on the paperwork shared during intake of all counseling and case management services.
Solano Pride Center offers counseling and psychotherapy to the LGBTQ+ community of Solano County.
There are openings available for those who wish to be seen for counseling services right now! We can even talk to you if you just want to make sense of the times we live in. We are able to see clients for up to six months at no cost to clients, helping you make sense of life as a queer person, get support coming out, or deepening your self confidence by talking about your past. Please call our confidential line to make an appointment at: 707-389-4520.
In addition Solano Pride Center is accepting application from Associate Clinicians (AMFT and ACSW) in addition to trainees needing practicum sites who are interested in providing therapy to the LGBTQ community. Please contact our Clinical Director Colin Amato at colin@solanopride.org for more info.
For more Mental Health Resources, https://www.solanopride.org/mental-health-resources/
Social and Support Groups for many sub groups within our community.
To see all of the support and social groups, go under the home button in the menu or go to this link: https://www.solanopride.org/social-and-support-groups
Senior Programs: https://www.solanopride.org/senior-programs/
Youth Programs: https://www.solanopride.org/youth-programs/
HIV Prevention Awareness
Did you know you can get STI testing mailed to your home?
Did you know that PreP and PeP can help you remain HIV negative?
Contact me for more info! Thank you.
Cristina Zaldana
More information now in our HIV Prevention page, under the Programs in the menu above… https://www.solanopride.org/hiv-prevention-support/
Calling All Volunteers!
Calling all volunteers! If you want to be a volunteer at Solano Pride Center, please let us know!
Our next Volunteer Training is scheduled for Thursday, July 24th at 6 pm on zoom. If you are interested in volunteering, just for special events or on a more regular basis at the Center, please email cristina@solanopride.org with the best times that work for you to be trained. These trainings are necessary for anyone who wishes to volunteer at the Center, in one of our Programs, or even for short term events like our Pride celebrations being planned now! Don’t miss this informative background on how to help, knowing our best practices and Community Agreements!
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
See our Volunteer page under the Programs menu above….
To see more Youth Programming, go to Youth Programs: https://www.solanopride.org/youth-programs/
SPC Trainings for your Team
We have Cultural competency Trainings for Schools, Teachers, Professors, Therapists, Social Workers, Case Managers, Businesses, Health Care workers, Senior Centers, and all who work with LGBTQIA2S+ people in every environment. Contact will@solanopride.org for more information about our SB 923 Training available this summer.
Ever wondered how to find all of the Queer organizations here in the Bay Area? Well, the Horizon’s Foundation has just such a list!
Here: https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/org-directory/
This amazing training from the Center for Human Development has been rescheduled for July 30th to August 1st.
Best Buck in the Bay Rodeo & Festival September 13th & 14th, 2025, in Duncans Mills, CA
With over 29 years GSGRA-BAC strives to be an active part of the LGBTQ community by hosting of fund-raising events to benefit local charities and to educate others on the Country-Western Lifestyle through Rodeo, Dance Events, and Royalty. Membership is not restricted and all who are interested are welcome to join.
GSGRA-BAC is a California 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. https://bayarearodeo.com/
Need to contact one of our staff? Would you like to drop by to check out a book from our Queer Library? Contact us this way.
If you find yourself in crisis during this time, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or our partners at these crisis numbers!
• Trevor Project Crisis Line: 1-866-488-7386
• Trans Lifeline Crisis Number: 1-877-565-8860
• Solano County Mobile Crisis Number: 707-806-0866
• Solano County Crisis Stabilization Service Number: 707-428-1131
Weekly Eblasts – Links below:
Do you get our weekly eBlasts on Wednesday afternoons? If not, or if you need to update your email, follow this link to register for our weekly eBlasts.
My name is Kenyatta, and I am the founder of Learning Self-Love, a wellness-focused brand dedicated to empowering individuals through healing, self-discovery, and personal growth. I am reaching out to explore a potential collaboration with the Pride Center to support your mission through my published works and self-help tools.
I have authored several books and journals including a powerful coming out memoir and a series of self-love and affirmation journals that speak directly to individuals navigating identity, trauma recovery, self-worth, and emotional resilience. In addition, I’ve developed a 36-card Law of Attraction affirmation deck designed to uplift and motivate users of all ages and backgrounds.
These tools have already found success with mental health practitioners, educators, and personal development coaches. I believe they would be an excellent addition to your self-help curriculum or resource library particularly for the people you serve who are actively engaged in healing, empowerment, and transformation.
Warmly,
Kenyatta Edwards
Phone: 707-920-6016
Founder & CEOLearning Self-Love
Learning Self Love: A Guided Journey to Embrace, Heal, and Celebrate Yourself $9.99
Phoenix Rising: A New Journey To Self-Love: You Are Not Broken, You Are Becoming now $16.99
Pride, Pleasure and Liberation: Becoming Me, My Coming Out Story $15.95
Learning Self-Love Affirmation Cards Flip book $12.99
Learning Self 36 Deck of Alphabetical Powerful Affirmations Cards
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8MWjQc5
Solano Pride Center
The Board of the Solano Pride Center shares our sadness that the Mayor of the City of Vacaville continues to use his position to give cover for the discrimination many in our community experience there. Like we did for every city, our Executive Director sent proposed language to use in a proclamation that actually gives an account of our history of discrimination and need for civil rights protections from our elected leaders.
This year we sent the request early, and attempted to hear back when the proclamation would be shared, and have not had that time confirmed. In preparing the so-called “Proclamation,” the Mayor’s office produced a document to be signed by the Vice Mayor that was similar to those of previous years, but with no proclamation that June 2024 would be Pride Month in the City of Vacaville. We also noticed a change to the text, including the deletion of the phrase “celebrate and build”, which was changed to “while building,” without an actual declaration of Pride Month. The language is so vague that it could apply to any other community, without addressing the violence members of our community experiences every day. Every other city we have received Proclamations from have adapted the language we have offered, but has still included the historical portions because that was the point. The language the Mayor used further white washes the history of America as if our country wasn’t created with the legality of slave states and the second class citizenship of women.
Furthermore, our biggest frustrations have centered around the lack of notification of when the flag was to be raised, as we experienced in almost every other city of the county today. Because we were not notified of the time of the flag raising, our community was denied the opportunity to be in attendance and participate to mark the moment. We understand that the Pride Flag has been raised on the School Street site, and will remain except for a day to honor the Army on June 14th (veterans comprise a significant portion of our community). Though we sent our request to the whole City Council on April 17th, we have had to ask for responses rather than a friendly sharing of events. The lack of communication feels intentional.
The erasure of our community happens on a daily basis, and the policies coming out of the Mayor’s office continues to discriminate against our civil rights and treats us like second class citizens. We call upon the good people of Vacaville to remind their Mayor that his oath of office is to serve all of the city, and not just those of his particular religious tradition. Leading Vacaville together means including your LGBTQ+ family and protecting their civil rights.
Will McGarvey
Executive Director
On behalf of the Solano Pride Center’s Board of Directors, June 2024