Tickets (sliding scale): Purchase on Zeffy
Plan now to attend our second Adult Prom (apparently we did one a decade ago!). Sliding scale $5-25 for tickets includes a couple of drinks! Make the memories you wish you had as a young person!
Rather than hosting another Pride in Vacaville in the heat this year, we are planning this fun night with food, dancing, drag queens and kings, and you!
You choose what you’d like to wear! Dress up or come as you are, but dress comfortably. Black tie and tennis shoes or a Ball Gown (for all genders!). Jeans and a t-shirt is also acceptable.
And, yes, there will be Drag Queens and Kings, including Amelia Need Moore (Reya Fong), Billy Freak and Ariel J. Hollywood will also be joining us that night!
| You can now get your tickets here: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/2025-rainbow-wonderland-adult-prom If you’d rather not pay by credit card, you can pay by check by registering with Marlette West by phone calling 707.207.3430 or by emailing marlette@solanopride.org. There are a number of free tickets that have been donated already, so feel free to put your name down for one if needed. |
Event information: https://www.facebook.com/events/9533248866757693
Volunteer at either Prom!
If you would like to volunteer at Rainbow Wonderland Adult Prom this year, please email cristina@solanopride.org to join our next orientation on Wednesday, April 16th from 6-7 pm on zoom!
Teen Prom is Sat, May 10th at the Center.
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.
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/
Also, we want to host a Poetry Slam on Saturday, October 11th in Vacaville this year! Email me at will@solanopride.org to join the planning team.
Want to help us raise funds for the Center?
| 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. |
Announcing our 2025 Suisun City Pride
Date and Time!
Harbor Plaza, Suisun City
520 Solano St., Suisun City, CA
Sponsoring 2025 Suisun City Pride
Performer Application Form
Application to be a Vendor or have a Booth
Application to be a Food Vendor
Are you ready for Suisun City Pride again on Sunday, June 1st from noon to 6 pm? Plan now to make a weekend of it, visiting some of these regional friends and famm.
Or, download the pdf below so the links work for you!
Our friend Michael LaFreniere, aka DJ Pocket, is bringing Drag to the Marina Lounge in Suisun City again on Friday, April 18th beginning at 8 pm! Doors open at 7 pm.
We will have the county’s Mobile Testing Unit, so you can get tested for HIV and other STI’s while there!
More info to come! Pre-Pride Drag Show will be Friday, May 30th at 8 pm.
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
Letter from the Executive Director:
Dear friends,
We are getting closer to April 26th, which means that you will need to get your tickets for the Rainbow Wonderland Adult Prom for those 18+ years old! You won’t want to miss it! Lots of food, fun, dancing, and creating new memories!
Rainbow Wonderland Adult Prom! Saturday, April 26th from 6-10 pm, a Prom for Adults 18+ of all identities & Allies hosted at The Saturday Club of Vacaville, 125 West Kendal Street, Vacaville! Sponsored by Travis Credit Union!
Plan now to attend our second Adult Prom (apparently we did one a decade ago!). Sliding scale $5-25 for tickets includes a couple of drinks! Make the memories you wish you had as a young person, or bring some friends and make your own memories for the future! And, yes, there will be Drag Queens and Kings!
You can now get your tickets here: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/2025-rainbow-wonderland-adult-prom.
If you’d rather not pay by credit card, you can pay by check by registering with Marlette West by phone calling 707.207.3430 or by emailing marlette@solanopride.org. There are a number of free tickets that have been donated already, so feel free to put your name down for one if needed.
Our Queer Youth Prom for 14-18 year olds will be Saturday, May 10th at the Center from 6-9 pm! It will be Out of This World!
It will be a great, fund night in the big room off the main entrance to our building. Volunteers for decorating and take down are still needed. Contact tyrstan@solanopride.org for more info!
Did you know that you could make a whole weekend of Suisun Pride this year?
It’s been real hard for us to plan any after parties for Pride in the past, so we are pleased to have a Pre-Pride Drag show on Friday, May 30th from 8 pm to midnight at the Marina Lounge by DJ Pocket and Friends!
We have also compiled a list of LGBTQ owned or friendly businesses with some fun ideas for you, your family and friends to participate in throughout the region! From wineries to spa days, good eats and fun for the family! Check out the links on our website or download the pdf here.
You may also wish to take the train to Pride, as it is in walking distance to Harbor Plaza and a couple of hotels! See the files below.
Dear friends,
I had a meeting with other LGBTQIA2S+ Center leaders from around California a couple of weeks ago, and we were sharing what was going on in our own Centers, supporting one another, and making plans on how we can serve our constituents most in need. We grieved the ways our communities are being targeted by our own Government, and shared what we were seeing in our own corners of the state.
One of the things that surprised me is that other Center’s are also experiencing less teens coming to our Center, many perhaps because it is scarier to come out these days.
One of the other things we all have experienced is a drop in giving from our community during these stressful times. If you can spare some extra funds during these stressful times, please do so today!
https://tinyurl.com/Give2SolanoPride!
Stephan’s Corner – Treasurer & Program Committee Chair
Update on Gender Affirming Care:
Hey there Solano Pride Community!
I wanted to share some information to help make some informed decisions around gender affirming medical care.
Currently (as of writing this) the executive orders do not stop medical gender affirming care in California. If a person under 18 needs medical gender affirming services, please see general practitioner for a referral. Kaiser does this in house and has a clinic in Oakland. Most others will be referred to UCSF gender clinic in San Francisco. Note: the wait list for UCSF is six months, so there is no reason to wait to engage with a mental health professional for a gender affirming care support letter and psychosocial assessment. For individuals over 18 there is also the option of utilizing Planned Parenthood. See links below.
These letters can be done in partnership with the therapeutic services available at the Solano Pride Center, reach out to Clinical Director Colin Amato, LMFT at 707-389-4520 or colin@solanopride.org. The center offers 6 months of free therapy and can support clients while they wait for their medical referral.
You may also reach out to https://707lgbt.com for therapeutic support!
Just know that a full mental health assessment, informed consent and future health discussions are completed with every human before starting any medical gender affirming care. Each human is also given a full lab work up and other health checks to make sure which options would be best for their physical and mental well being.
For individuals under 18 there is also a requirement for both legal parents to consent to these services.
Kaiser: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/gender-affirming-care
UCSF: https://transcare.ucsf.edu
Sutter: https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/lgbtqi-care
Stanford: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-clinics/gender-affirming-care.html
TransVision: https://bach.health/transvision
Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/california/san-francisco/94109/san-francisco-health-center-3997-90200/gender-affirming-care
Feel free to reach out with questions!
Stephan Clifford, LCSW
Board Member
Treasurer, Program’s Chair
Stephan@SolanoPride.Org
Head Over Heels, by Solano College Theatre!
The SCC Theater department is putting on the play Head Over Heels this Spring.
A little about the play….
Head Over Heels is a delightful laugh-out-loud love story set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, including the hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “Vacation.” A modern musical fairy tale where once-upon-a-time is right now, it follows the escapades of a royal family who set out on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction.
“This show powerfully packs in inclusivity by embracing non-binary characters, same-sex couples, and a recognition of the love that may exist right in front of our faces,” said Mani. “At the same time, it gets us dancing and singing in our seats. What’s not to love?”
Those of us who were able to attend on April 5th found it to be a wonderfully fun and heartwarming story, and the music was great!
Here is the link for tickets: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=245797
The show begins at 7:30, and box office opens at 6:30. Tickets at bit.ly/SCTHeadOverHeels
HIV Funding is under threat by the Trump Administration. PreP, PeP, and funding for global programs all being axed by Washington, DC. Call today!
Please call your representatives using the script and resources we compiled to protect HIV prevention efforts. This is an urgent call to action – defunding may happen as soon as tomorrow and it will greatly impact LGBTQ+ centers providing HIV prevention/care/education. We created a call script specifically for LGBTQ+ centers to use.
Summary: As part of the administration’s efforts to cut programs and personnel, there are plans to dismantle critical HIV prevention efforts such as the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Division of HIV Prevention, effectively eliminating any possibility of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. This decision would undo over 40 years of public health prevention programs and the progress made in reducing new HIV transmissions. It would also negate decades of bipartisan federal HIV policy and defund LGBTQ+ centers providing HIV care and prevention services.
Action: Call Your Senators and Representatives to Protect HIV Prevention Funding TODAY!With potential cuts possibly occurring as soon as Wednesday, March 19, urgent action is needed.
Find your Congressional representatives here.
- Senate Switchboard: 202-224-3121
- House of Representatives Switchboard: 202-225-3121
Template: What to say when you make the call. Feel free to use your own words too. This script is customized for LGBTQ+ community centers, but ok to share with your networks if helpful.
Hello _________________,
My name is _____ and I’m a constituent as well as an LGBTQ+ community center leader.
I’m calling to express my strong concern about reports that the administration may be considering severe cuts to the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention—a decision that would have devastating public health consequences for years to come.
Many LGBTQ+ community centers offering HIV care, education, and prevention are funded by the CDC. The work they do is crucial in halting HIV transmission through comprehensive testing initiatives, educational campaigns, and community programs that link numerous individuals to other crucial services. Their efforts have played a key role in decreasing new HIV cases and ensuring at-risk populations can access preventive measures.
For centers who have health clinics and/or provide HIV care/prevention and are funded by the CDC, insert this paragraph instead: My organization offers HIV care, education, and prevention, and a portion of our work is funded by the CDC. Our state stands to lose $XXX (insert amount of funding you receive from CDC) and the ability to serve XXX people (insert amount of clients you serve with this funding) should this administration make the proposed cuts. The work we do is crucial in halting HIV transmission through comprehensive testing initiatives, educational campaigns, and community programs that link numerous individuals to other crucial services. Our efforts have played a key role in decreasing new HIV cases and ensuring at-risk populations can access preventive measures.
I strongly urge you to oppose any efforts to cut HIV testing, prevention, or treatment funding and to publicly affirm the importance of maintaining the federal commitment to ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. Thank you for your time.
Join HANDS OFF! Fairfield, Saturday, April 19th at 10:30 am at a different corner of Texas & Washington Streets, Fairfield. (in front of Armijo High School).
We will raise our voices in protest against the attacks on our civil rights and the programs that we voted for and paid for with our taxes. Hands Off!
This is a nationally organized event and your participation matters. Bring your signs, your friends and your voices.
I am your volunteer host for this event. Something new for me. I am also a proud mother of a bi-sexual woman. I’m worried about the current trends being supported by the current administration. The future is equal. Our government is going in the wrong direction. We must resist!
Please join our national outcry on 4/19/25.
See you Saturday at 10:30 am!
(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
You may also be interested in this article: What to do if the Insurrection Act is invoked (on April 20th) – https://wagingnonviolence.org/2025/04/what-to-do-if-the-insurrection-act-is-invoked/
Our Next Protest siding and standing with the Trans Community is Monday, April 28th! 4th Monday in Vacaville! Make signs to share our support for out Trans, Gender Non-Conforming and Intersex communities!
Then join us Monday, April 28th from 4:30 to 6:00 pm to side and stand with the Trans community in front of Vacaville City Hall (650 Merchant Street, Vacaville).
If you would like an action to accomplish today, please write to your congressman and ask him why he won’t meet with members of our community! Ask them when they will start speaking out to protect us, as they have promised.
Here is some suggested text for a phone or message through his website if Rep. Garamendi is your representative. https://garamendi.house.gov/contact, or at his Fairfield office: (707) 438-1822, Vallejo office: (707) 645-1888
Dear Congressman John Garamendi,
I’m calling today to thank you for voting against the bill last year that stripped health care from military families with Trans kids. What can you do to restore that funding?
Our Solano Pride Center has been attempting to schedule a time to talk about the 600+ anti-Trans bills since October 2nd, 2024. When will you schedule a meeting with representatives of our community? We need you to stand up more for us against the discrimination from our own government. Please be outspoken! We need to see you raising your voice on our behalf!
Sincerely,
[your name, address and phone]
We have found a way to raise money for the Center that doesn’t involved you sending a check or buying a thing!
Thanks to the 25 people who gave responses on HundredX Causes that helped us raise almost $500! We will let you know when you can help again!
CHORUSES OF UC DAVIS:
“SING WITH PRIDE”
The treble section of the Concert Singers of UC Davis. (Phil Daley/UC Davis)
June 5, 2025 – 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center
Choruses of UC Davis
Nicolás Dosman, director
Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus
Alex Heetland, director
“Considering Matthew Shepard,” first performed in 2016, is a full-concert length modern-day oratorio, which honors and celebrates the life of Matthew Shepard.
The choral work is fused together with different styles. The texts are from poets, including Rumi and Hildegard von Bingen, along with words from Shepard’s own journal. The Chicago Tribune wrote: “Moving among styles ranging from Lutheran hymnody to blues to Broadway, this modern-day Passion will move many listeners to tears even as it reaches beyond tragedy to peace, understanding and forgiveness.”
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.
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/
Here’s a special, inter-generational pilot program to link Seniors and Young people in strengthen connections between the generations.
The course will cover:
• What’s the Buzz? Bees, Bats, Butterflies, Oh My! Attracting Pollinators to the Garden to Increase Food Production
• Worms Eat My Garbage – Let’s Learn About Vermicomposting!
• Growing Up Not Out! Maximizing Growing Space with Vertical Gardening and/or Container Gardens
• Turning Waste Into WOW! Preserving our Planet’s Resources Through Eco-Friendly Choices
Registration is limited to 10 seniors and youth. To register for the series, participants
must be able to attend all four classes.
To register, call or text Innovative Health Solutions at
707-684-4376 or email us at info@innovativehealths.com
HIV Prevention Awareness
Testing next month will be Sunday, May 4th at the Cinco de Mayo event from 11 am to 4 pm at Harbor Plaza, Suisun City. Then May 22nd from 7-10 pm at the Town House Cocktail Lounge, the Gay Bar in Vallejo!
| 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 Cristina Zaldana |
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 information.
Every year BAQWA produces an anthology of members’ writing as a benefit for a Bay Area Queer charity
This year proceeds from sales of TOGETHER, the 2024-25 benefit anthology, go to the Solano County Pride Center, which provides support for LGBTQ+ people in the county, offers free HIV testing, and creates Queer Pride events in cities across the county. We hope BAQWA members will come read from the anthology at future SPC events, including the Holiday Dinner. If you’d like to order the book online, the proceeds also help fund our important work here. Thanks to Richard May who had them available at the Holiday Dinner to sell copies!
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 Wednesday, April 16th 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
There is a volunteer opportunity in the HIV Prevention dept. It involves going out to off site locations where we can table and provide free testing.
The County will do the testing and we will table at these locations such as a club (like the Townhouse in Vallejo) or youth drop in spaces. I have been looking for someone that can help me with this.
In the same department of HIV Prevention, we have the Safe Sex Packets that are put together. They involve 2 condoms, 1 lube packet & a slip of paper with info on SPC. These packets are put together at home. Pick up supplies at the center & bring back completed packets 4 days later or can depend when needed. We generally need 100 to 200 to 300. You can do 100 or 200 or 300. It is up to you. This is an ongoing volunteer opportunity.
For the Youth Dept Volunteers:
We need Team Leaders for youth with With Q-Scouts (a special after school program for LGBTQIA2S+ middle schoolers, beginning in Vallejo/Benicia). We need 2-4 adult volunteers to help with youth ages 8-12, helping with activities as team leaders. Training provided.
After 3 pm, Weekdays the Q-Scout meetings are planned and the weekends as that allows for kiddos to participate after school.
Volunteers needed for the Senior Luncheons:
Senior luncheons are every 1st & 3rd Fridays of the Month at 12 noon.
Volunteers would come in at 11 am and help with setting up the food as it comes in, making sure everyone has what they need, helping with the presenter doing presentations, closing up making sure we leave the conference room as we found it.
Gathering the utensils needed: Forks, napkins, plates, etc
You will have help with all this so you won’t be doing everything yourself.
Admin Tasks & Holding Space: There are also some admin jobs which include organizing the office a little. Consolidating some items so we have more space, etc. Welcoming folx when multiple groups are meeting at the Center.
Our next Volunteer Orientation will be on Wednesday, March 19th from 6pm-7pm at the SOLANO PRIDE CENTER, 1234 Empire Street, suite 1560, Fairfield, CA. Library Lounge Room (come to the south doors and knock to be let in.).
I will be covering all these volunteer opportunities. If you have already attended an orientation, there is no need to attend again.
Let me know if you need more specifics! Contact: cristina@solanopride.org
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/
Hi Solicia, Scotty, Will and Chase,
Thank you all so much again for the awesome discussion on Wednesday during our Town Hall. It was super engaging and thoughtful, and we’ve received some great feedback so far from the participants. I wanted to let you all know the recording (both video and audio) is available here: https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/regional-town-halls/north-bay/
I’ll be sharing the recording on Horizons’ social media soon. Feel free to do the same on your platforms!
I also wanted to forward you all Tina’s question below, and ask how or to whom it’s best we direct her to?
Thank you so much again for lending your time and expertise! We really appreciate you and your vital work.
Justin Seiter (he/him)Senior Communications Manager
Horizons Foundation
155 Sansome Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 398-2333 x112
www.horizonsfoundation.org
Solano County Represents at the EQCA Lobby Day in Sacramento, March 26th!
Yesterday, we brought nearly 300 community members, partners, and local advocates together in Sacramento for LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day—a chance for people to meet with lawmakers and advocate for legislation that will positively impact the lives of LGBTQ+ Californians.
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Our 2025 legislative package is bold and meets the urgency of the moment. With the Trump Administration waging an unprecedented attack on the rights of LGBTQ+ people, California must continue to have the strongest pro-equality policies in the nation.
This year we are advancing bills that expand protections for LGBTQ+ Californians in critical areas including family building, safe and supportive schools, identity documents, and healthcare—with a particular focus on the safety of the transgender community within California and beyond its borders.
If you couldn’t join us in person, you can participate virtually! Contact your state legislators and ask them to support Equality California’s 2025 Legislative Package.
Continue yesterday’s momentum and join us in keeping our elected officials accountable. Equality California remains committed to fighting for a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. When it comes to the rights, dignity, and safety of our community, The Gloves Are Off.
Make your voice heard—send a message to your lawmakers today in support of our legislative package.
Review our full legislative package here.
Thank you,
— Craig
Craig Pulsipher
Legislative Director
Pronouns: he/him/his
William,
We’ve officially crossed into double digits with this tenth edition of the weekly Equality Brief! Thank you so much for your continued support. Visit our website for a full breakdown of this week’s news—as well as everything we’ve previously shared.
Week of April 13-April 19, 2025:
- California Attorney General Files Amicus Brief in Upcoming Supreme Court Case: AG Rob Bonta, in coalition with 19 other Attorneys General, filed an amicus briefin the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor. The case before the Supreme Court concerns whether schools burden the religious exercise of parents when including books or curriculum on gender and sexuality against parents’ religious convictions and without notice or opportunity to opt out. The argument made in the amicus brief is that states have a responsibility to protect LGBTQ+ students from harm, and that access to such curriculum does not violate free exercise of religion.
- Trump Administration Seeks to Limit Transgender Healthcare in ACA Plans: Not content with attempting to outright ban transgender healthcare for minors via Executive Order, the Trump Administration is now moving to limit coverage for such care in Affordable Care Act insurance plans beginning next year, with the support of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Equality California Joins Calls for Return of Andry Hernández Romero: Equality California and other national LGBTQ+ organizations are calling for the safe return of Andry Hernández Romero — an LGBTQ+ Venezuelan immigrant and makeup artist deported to prison in El Salvador solely on the basis of his tattoos, which ICE falsely claimed are gang related.
- Trump Administration Files Suit Against Maine For Protecting Transgender Athletes: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday that the Trump Administration is suing the state of Maine for not complying with the government’s push to ban transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. Attorney General Bondi also warned that states including California and Minnesota could face additional lawsuits.
- HHS Starts Anti-Transgender ‘Whistleblower’ Hotline: A so-called ‘Protect Kids’ hotline has been established by the Department of Health and Human Services encouraging people to report “tips and complaints on the mutilation of children” — a direct attack on medical professionals who provide healthcare for transgender youth.
We’re committed to keeping you informed and providing you with the latest news and resources. Our hub also provides guidance and resources from our national and state partners, our official statements, and opportunities to take action and fight back. Learn more on our website.
Thanks so much,
— Jasmine
Jasmine Pantoja
Communications Manager
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Dear partner,
Please see the attached fact sheet developed by a group of LGBTQ+, civil rights, and health care advocates in California. The document is intended to clarify what rights LGBTQ+ people still have in California in the wake of the recent executive orders and who to contact if problems arise. As the federal landscape evolves, we will be updating this fact sheet to keep our families and community informed of their rights.
Thanks,
Craig
Equality California
Attached, please find an updated April 25 version of the Know Your Rights sheet, as it relates to the anti-transgender executive orders.
Friends,
The Trump administration is considering a plan to eliminate the CDC’s HIV prevention division — a move that would gut critical services like HIV testing, PrEP access, and condom distribution.
The consequences?
🔴 Higher HIV transmission rates
🔴 Increased healthcare costs — each HIV diagnosis costs $500,000 in lifetime treatment
🔴 Decades of progress erased in the fight to end the epidemic
Now is the time to act! Members of Congress need to hear from you.
📞 Call 202-224-3121 and demand your representatives protect HIV prevention funding.
We can’t let the Trump administration get away with this direct attack on public health and our most vulnerable communities. We must hold our elected officials accountable.
Make your voice heard today.
— Valerie
Valerie Ploumpis
National Policy Director
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Advocates for Transgender Equality Advocacy Invitation
Hey friends,
I’m reaching out to ask for your support in protecting health care access for trans people and DACA recipients. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule CMS-9884-P would eliminate federal protections requiring ACA marketplace plans to cover gender-affirming care, jeopardizing essential, life-saving treatments for trans individuals nationwide.
We’re launching the Protect Our Healthcare Campaign to drive comments opposing this harmful rule before the April 11, 2025 deadline. Your organization’s voice is critical in challenging this proposal.
How You Can Take Action:
- Submit an Organization Comment:
We’ve created a storytelling-focused comment template for organizations to highlight the real-world impact of this rule. This version is ideal for narrative-driven responses. A more technical template may be available soon if your organization prefers to wait. Organization Comment Template - Mobilize Your Community:You can direct your members to submit personal comments using our individual comment portal. Sharing personal stories is a powerful way to emphasize the harm this rule would cause. Individual Comment Portal
- Amplify on Social Media:
We’ve put together a Social Media Kit to help you spread the word, drive engagement, and rally support. Social Media Kit
Comments are due April 11th!!!!
If you have any questions or require additional resources, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at dojeda@transequality.org. We deeply appreciate your support in this critical effort to protect trans healthcare.
Thank you for standing with us!
In solidarity,
Devon Ojeda Ph.D. (they/he)
Senior National Organizer
Advocates for Transgender Equality
dojeda@transequality.org
Cell: 813.732.4821
transequality.org | @TransEquality | A4TE on Facebook
transformthevote.org
See our table here at the Suisun City Cinco de Mayo Festival put on by the Black Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, May 4th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. More info to come!
We will also be tabling at the Cinco de Mayo Art Walk in Vallejo the night of Friday, May 9th from 5-9 pm.
Attorney General Bonta and 12 Attorneys General Issue Joint Statement on Protecting Access to Gender-Affirming Care
News Release
February 4, 2025
OAKLAND – Attorney General Bonta today joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general to reaffirm their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care in the face of the Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order. The coalition released the following statement:
“As state attorneys general, we stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people. Health care decisions should be made by patients, families, and doctors, not by a politician trying to use his power to restrict your freedoms. Gender-affirming care is essential, life-saving medical treatment that supports individuals in living as their authentic selves.
The Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order is wrong on the science and the law. Despite what the Trump Administration has suggested, there is no connection between “female genital mutilation” and gender-affirming care, and no federal law makes gender-affirming care unlawful. President Trump cannot change that by Executive Order.
Last week, attorneys general secured a critical win from a federal court that directed the federal government to resume funding that had been frozen by the Trump Administration. In response to the Court’s Order, the Department of Justice has sent a notice stating that “federal agencies cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders.” This means that federal funding to institutions that provide gender-affirming care continues to be available, irrespective of President Trump’s recent Executive Order. If the federal administration takes additional action to impede this critical funding, we will not hesitate to take further legal action.
State attorneys general will continue to enforce state laws that provide access to gender-affirming care, in states where such enforcement authority exists, and we will challenge any unlawful effort by the Trump Administration to restrict access to it in our jurisdictions.”
Joining Attorney General Bonta in issuing this statement are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont.
You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-and-12-attorneys-general-issue-joint-statement-protecting
Attorney General Bonta Reminds Hospitals and Clinics of Anti-Discrimination Laws Amid Executive Order on Gender Affirming Care
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today reminded California hospitals and federally-funded healthcare providers of their ongoing obligation under California anti-discrimination law to provide gender affirming care amid confusion resulting from President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive on freezing or pausing federal funding and his executive order on gender affirming care. Attorney General Bonta also issued a letter putting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on notice of its obligations under state anti-discrimination law, following reports that the hospital is pausing the initiation of hormonal therapies for all gender affirming care patients under the age of 19 and gender-affirming surgeries on minors.
“California supports the rights of transgender youth to live their lives as their authentic selves,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We will not let the President turn back the clock or deter us from upholding California values. I understand that the President’s executive order on gender affirming care has created some confusion. Let me be clear: California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services.”
The California Department of Justice is aware of concerns about gender-affirming care being impacted by recent federal government actions attempting to restrict federal funds to recipients of federal grants, including the availability of federal financial assistance regarding the provision of gender affirming care to minors.
On January 28, 2025, Attorney General Bonta, along with 22 other state attorneys general, filed suit in federal district court to halt the federal government’s illegal efforts to freeze such federal funding. The court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on January 31, 2025, prohibiting federal agencies from taking any action that would “pause, freeze, block, cancel or terminate” such funding. As a result of the TRO won by Attorney General Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general, federal agencies must continue to comply with existing grants, awards, and obligations, except as authorized by law.
In a notice sent to federal agencies and filed with the court on Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) indicated its intent to comply with the court order and affirmed that the TRO blocking the illegal funding freeze applied to all federal funding awards or obligations, including those made to recipients such as hospitals, and federally funded healthcare providers. The U.S. DOJ stated that federal agencies “cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate any awards or obligations on the basis of the OMB memo, or on the basis of the President’s recently issued Executive Orders.” As such, the recent executive order pertaining to gender-affirming care for minors does not provide federal agencies with any basis to threaten or revoke federal funding from hospitals and federally funded healthcare providers.
Furthermore, California law, including the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code section 51 and Government Code section 11135, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Electing to refuse services to a class of individuals based on their protected status, such as withholding services from transgender individuals based on their gender identity or their diagnosis of gender dysphoria, while offering such services to cisgender individuals, is discrimination. California families seeking gender-affirming care, and the doctors and staff who provide it, are protected under state laws.
RESOURCES
California has a number of resources for transgender youth and the broader LGBTQ+ community:
- California Department of Justice’s Health Equity and Civil Rights webpage
- California Department of Justice’s LGBTQ+ Discrimination Rights webpage
- Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act
- California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal State Inmate Program and Medi-Cal County Inmate Program webpage
- California Civil Rights Department’s The Rights of Employees Who Are Transgender or Gender Nonconforming fact sheet
- California Department of Insurance’s Equal Access to Health Insurance: Coverage for Transgender Californians webpage
- California Department of Managed Health Care’s TGI Care webpage
If you believe your rights are being violated as part of the enforcement of the President’s executive order, you can file a complaint with the California Attorney General’s Office here or with the California Civil Rights Department here.
A copy of the letter to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is available here.
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
We are looking to find a few folx willing to help create a Vacaville LGBTQ+ Network that can create quarterly to monthly social events for the East County Queer Community!
| Vallejo Gay Network Events! |
| See Movie Night below in cooperation with the Benicia LGBTQ+ Network. #VGNForAll #VGN #LGBTQNetworking #GayVallejo #CommunityPride Save the Dates: If you want to host, please email tom@vallejogaynetwork.com Need a host for March, April and May 🌈June – Pride Weekend 6-8th🏳️🌈 July – Wendell & Manny August – Ric Duran September – Michael Harris October – Peter and Adam November – Tom & Chris (Food Bank Fundraiser) How will you support and be part of our community? If you would like to host a VGN event at your home or business or even an open space like a local park contact us. The main thing is that we maintain current safety guidelines and make a safe space for everyone to feel at ease. It’s all about building & sharing with the community. |
Recurring Events in the Community
GVRD Host Mothly Senior Social Event for People Ages 55+. From the organizers: Join us for a fun and relaxed morning of socializing, coffee, and light activities! Our Senior Social takes place once a month on the second Wednesday, from 8:30 to 10:30 AM. Enjoy a warm cup of coffee, delicious pastries, and a variety of puzzles and games while meeting new friends. It’s a wonderful way to start your day and make new connections in a welcoming environment. Best of all, it’s completely free! We hope to see you there! Coffee is sponsored by a local Starbucks, pastries from local businesses, and games and puzzles are provided by GVRD.
Every 2nd Wednesday of the Month – Next gathering is Wed, April 9th from 8:30am-10:30am, Vallejo Community Center, 225 Amador St
| Benicia LGBTQ+ Network Events! |
| To see more, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3251983318281379/?checkpoint_src=any |
On April 5th, we’ll be hiking the George Miller Regional Trail! 2RP9+WW Staging Area, Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Port Costa, CA 94569
We are meeting for a flat, dog-friendly hike at the George Miller Regional Trail in the Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, located in Port Costa near Crockett. We’ll meet 10am on Saturday April 5th at the eastern trailhead of the George Miller Regional Trail, at the address:
2RP9+WW Staging Area, Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Port Costa, CA 94569.
Important: Make sure to travel through Crockett, not Martinez. The Crockett side has the parking lot and porta potty, while the Martinez side is just a road.
This is a flat, dog-friendly (leashed) hike with beautiful views of the Carquinez Strait. The trail runs between Crockett and Martinez and is about 4 miles round-trip (just under 2 miles one way). It’s an easy, mostly flat trail with very little elevation change, all on pavement.
We’ll meet at 10 AM at the trailhead. After the hike, we may stop for coffee at Revival Coffee — a charming spot in an old church! Revival Coffee 1 Rolph Park Dr, Crockett, CA 94525.
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.
Thanks to all of our Donors for the Silent Auction at the Poetry Slam and beyond! Please do shop at these Gay owned businesses, and our supportive Allies!
Dear Solano Pride Center,
My name is Dani Chiaramonte, and I work with Project SPACES (led by Yale University and the University of Maryland). Project SPACES is an NIH funded study testing brief online writing programs which aim to help parents strengthen their attachment and build stronger connections with their LGBTQ+ children. Parents who take part will receive $180 in compensation for their time. We would love your help in sharing information about Project SPACES with the parents or LGBTQ+ young people in your network!
Parents can check their eligibility and learn more about the study using this link: https://yalesurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0PyS4TDJVtujYVM?Source=Organizations.
I have attached a flyer and info sheet that explains our confidentiality practices and the goals of the program. We would greatly appreciate it if you could distribute these materials, either by hanging our flyer in your center, adding our information to your newsletter, or by passing along this information to the relevant channels!
I am happy to meet virtually or over the phone to provide further information and answer any questions you might have. To set up time to speak, just reply to this email, or contact our study team (spaces@yale.edu, 203-772-8146).
Warm regards,
Dani Chiaramonte, Ph.D.
Associate Research Scientist
Yale LGBTQ Mental Health Initiative
276 5th Ave. Suite 407. New York, NY 10001
Hello, Equality California and Equality California Institute partners!
As part of a project with CDPH’s Office of Health Equity, Equality California Institute is conducting research into messaging for TGI access to reproductive and sexual health care, and we are hoping you might help us in finding participants to join in a confidential, paid research interview.
The goal of this project is to better understand the experiences of people who identify as gender expansive–including people who identify as transgender, non-binary, intersex, genderqueer, two-spirit, indigiqueer, and gender non-conforming–and how they communicate about themselves and their lives to their health care providers. Ideally, this research will help gender-expansive people get healthcare in an environment where providers treat them with dignity, understanding, empathy and respect.
Note that we will be prioritizing interviews with people who are not actively involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy in order to lift up gender-expansive voices who are not normally heard in these types of conversations.
These 2-hour online interviews will be conducted by gender-expansive moderators and are completely confidential. While these interviews will be recorded for research purposes, any comments participants make will not be associated with their name (or organization/employer).
People who are selected to participate and complete the interview, will receive an honorarium of $200 after the interview as a thank-you for their time.
Please share this brief survey [LINK] with individuals who may be a good fit for the interview.
Again, responses are completely confidential and are being collected solely for the purpose of ensuring we include perspectives and experiences from a wide variety of people. Please note that we can only accommodate a limited number of interviews, so not everyone who expresses interest in participating will be selected to do so.
In Solidarity,
Erin Arendse | Program Director
Equality California | Equality California Institute
Another Survey for Trans Folx centered around Gender Affirming Vocal Therapy
My name is Andi Reuda (they/them) and I am a transgender undergraduate student at California State University Long Beach in their Speech-Language Pathology department. I am conducting a research survey around gender affirming vocal therapy (GAVT) that’s aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the disconnect between getting clients in need of GAVT to competent providers. The reason I am reaching out is to see if you are able to post the recruitment flyer attached on your community bulletin board or forward it to those who may fit the criteria. If you have anyone in your community who is interested in receiving GAVT either now or in the future, I invite them to take our voluntary anonymous online “GAVT Client Interest Survey” focused on further understanding the barriers to access and complexities of picking a goal in GAVT from a client’s perspective. This anonymous survey will take 5-10 minutes and participants will rate their level of agreement to statements provided, answer multiple choice as well as free response questions. Participants may take the survey through scanning the QR code provided on the flyer or typing in the link attached to their browser. This is only intended for those 18+ years of age interested in receiving GAVT, whether now or in the future. No compensation is offered but participation is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and if you have any questions or want to opt out of future communication, please feel free to email me at the address provided: Andi.Reuda01@student.csulb.edu
Survey link: https://csulb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ZafwdcGs80aOwK
Warmly,
Andi Reuda, They/Them
Undergrad Student @ CSULB
Department of Speech-Language Pathology
My name is Jack Komer, and I am a 4th-year doctoral candidate in the School Psychology program at Indiana University Bloomington.
I’m reaching out because your organization, Solano Pride Center, supports LGBTQ+ communities and, according to Centerlink, has connections or programming with LGBTQ+ youth.
We are currently recruiting participants for a national study on gender diverse youth minority stress and I would greatly appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with gender minority youth through your organization’s social media, in-person spaces, or email listservs.
I have included more information on the study below, and attached a flyer that could be distributed to youth or put in community spaces (bulletin boards, resource displays, etc). Additionally, youth can access the study at this link https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_das0COM1PRo49hQ
Our study is titled “Constructing a Developmentally and Socially Contextualized Model of Minority Stress for Gender Minority Youth.” Youth would be eligible to participate if they are between the ages of 13-19, identify as a gender minority individual (e.g., transgender, non-binary, or other non-cis identities) and speak English. The purpose of this study is to produce a theoretical framework that works to illustrate how gender minority youth experience, manage and are affected by identity-specific or minority stressors. This study will also examine how developmental, social and other factors could influence the processes involved in this framework. The hope is that this work assists in developing and refining affirmative mental health interventions and supports for gender minority youth and their caregivers.
This study is approved by the Indiana University IRB (#24438) and has a waiver of parental consent to protect youth who are not out to parents/guardians. Additionally, we will be taking additional measures to protect potentially identifiable information from participants and ensure that such information is only reported in aggregate, and scrubbed from any publications or analysis. Youth that participate in an interview as part of the study will be compensated $25 in the form of an Amazon gift card for their time.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you so much for your time and support!
Best,
Jack Komer, MS
School Psychology PhD Candidate, Indiana University-Bloomington
Interventionist and Researcher, SBMH-RTI
EVERY WOMAN COUNTS, the program that provides FREE mammograms and pap smears for the uninsured!
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