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:

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/

Want to help us raise funds for the Center?

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 Big Day you can help us compete with our other sibling LGBTQIA2S+ Centers around the country would be giving to us on June 5th to compete for additional funds and prizes.

https://www.giveoutday.org/donate/Solanopridecenterhttps://www.giveoutday.org/donate/Solanopridecenter

Announcing our 2025 Suisun City Pride

June 1st from noon to 6 pm!

Harbor Plaza, Suisun City

520 Solano St., Suisun City, CA

Digital Advertising in the Program for Pride!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pride-digital-program-advertising

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.

Pride Weekend Kick-off Drag Show at Marina Lounge on Friday, May 30th!

Or, download the pdf below so the links work for you!

Suisun Pride – Make a Weekend of Pride Download

Letter from the Executive Director:

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Dear friends,

Suisun Pride just keeps getting better and better! Louder and Prouder!

We will have 80+ booths there, between all of our sponsors and those bringing their booths to share information and sell items for our Famm. Let’s thank our Sponsors here!

• Kaiser Permanente – Founding Sponsor
• Travis Credit Union – Founding Sponsor
• Suisun City, CA – Founding Sponsor
• Assemblywoman Lori Wilson – Stonewall Sponsor
• Sutter Solano Medical Center – Harvey Milk Sponsor
• Community Congregational Church UCC Benicia – Proud Mary Sponsor
• Valley Strong Credit Union LGBTQQIA+ Employee Resource Group – Proud Mary Sponsor

We couldn’t create Suisun Pride without all of your help and support! The final map will be going out to our many vendors, food trucks, beverage providers very soon, as we’ve had to move some folx around to be near friends and family. And, we are happy to have Fairfield’s own, Adrienne Lo Cielo back sharing their drag and vocal talents! You may remember her song “707.”

There will be a Digital Program, including info on all of our vendors and more there! Don’t forget to put the Pride Drag Show on Friday, May 30th at 8 pm at Marina Lounge across the street at 701 Main Street into your calendar today! DJ Pocket is putting quite the show together for that night! Our website also has some other ideas for you if you’d like to make a weekend of it, with many gay owned and LGBTQ friendly businesses in the region listed where you could have fun with family and friends!

Have you seen our latest video for Suisun Pride? Check it out here! Share it with all your besties… Learn more about Suisun Pride 2025 here!

In addition to our hosts Drag Queen Bella Aldama and comedian Myles Weber, we will have Amelia Need Moore, Dreamy Dee, Startlight, and Ana Filaxis as drag performers, and all of the multicultural dance groups and singers mentioned last week!

Have you seen our latest video for Suisun Pride? Check it out here! Share it with all your besties… Learn more about Suisun Pride 2025 here!

There will be a Digital Program, including info on all of our vendors and more there! Follow this link to reserve your spot today! Sponsors included for free! https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/pride-digital-program-advertising. The deadline is May 24th at noon to get your advertising order placed!

You won’t want to miss it!

Save the Date! Interfaith Pride Service. Sunday, June 22nd at 4 pm at Community Presbyterian Church of Vallejo (PCUSA), 2800 Georgia Street, Vallejo, CA 94591. Email will@solanopride.org to join the planning or music teams.

Will McGarvey
he/they
Solano Pride Center executive director

Dear friends,
Our planning for Suisun City Pride on June 1st is coming together, with many dance troupes already confirmed! Let’s meet them!
Our mission at Bliss Urban Arts Center (Hip-Hop presentation) is to provide Solano County (and beyond) with high-quality programs to serve our community! We bring people together through dance, theatre, fitness, poetry, music and more. We at BUAC are honored to have such artistic educators on our staff & happy to have you join our network of artists, mentors and students!

Batalá San Francisco (Brazilian Drumline) is a community band that plays samba reggae, an Afro-Brazilian genre of music developed in Bahia, Brazil. Founded in 2012, Batalá San Francisco is the Bay Area contingent of the international drumming organization Batalá Mundo, founded by Giba Concalves in 1997.

Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine (Polynesian) organization dedicated to the study protection and perpetuation of the performing arts of Hawai’i. It is named after the gentle “sister” rain that falls in the valley of Mānoa in Honolulu. They have presented in performance throughout California and internationally, appearing in venues ranging from the Hollywood Bowl and Kū Mai Ka Hula of Kahului, Maui, to the Heiva celebrations of Tahiti, French Polynesia and Te Papa Tongareva, the National Museum of New Zealand. The hālau has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Kashinoki TAIKO (Japanese Taiko Drummers) teach local classes in Suisun City. Kashinoki Taiko is a Japanese Taiko drumming group that performs in Japan and internationally. They are known for their powerful rhythms, dynamic performances, and unique blend of music, dance, and martial arts movements. Taiko drumming, a traditional Japanese drumming art form is known for its blend of music, movement, and spirit.

Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl (Mexican Folk Dancing) Our mission is to empower the community and to educate the general public, providing Mexican culture. Since 1996. Netzahualcoyotl Vidal, known as “Maestro Netza,” born in Nayarit, México. Trained as a professional dancer, and dancing in some of the most prestigious folklorico groups in México.I’m been instructing students of all ages, and performing in theaters and community events throughout the Bay Area. Our mission is to empower the community and to educate the general public by providing a greater understanding and appreciation for Mexican culture and folklore through music, dance, and traditional art forms.

Dear friends,

Our planning for Suisun City Pride on June 1st is coming together, with over 30+ vendors and 8 food trucks/trailers already signed up!

We are pleased to announce that “The Freeze 32° F”, an indie-pop 90’s and beyond rock band, will be the opening Band at Pride! They also write and record their own original music. Founded by mom Deb Fries (on keys, guitar, and vocals) and son Alex Fries (on drums and vocals), they are joined by seasoned bass player Alex Barrierre from NYC, L.A. raised lead guitarist Omar Cruz, and the very experienced percussionist Milton McGriff. Miss Alleta Nash of Benicia recently joined the band as lead vocalist, adding spicy harmonies and even a few violin licks here and there. Be sure to like and follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages where you can also find our upcoming shows. We’re here to entertain so come out to hear Icy Hot Music for Cool People!

We are pleased to announce that “Glass Cactus”, from School of Rock Vacaville, will be the closing Band at Pride!

Glass Cactus is the School of Rock Vacaville houseband that is made up of kids from ages 12-17 who audition to be in the band every year. Performing for many community events and going on tour every summer! You might remember them as the closing act of Pride in the Park last year in Vacaville!

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!

Stephan’s Corner – Treasurer & Program Committee Chair

Update on how to Side with the Trans and Gender non Conforming Community in your advocacy:

Be curious…

Hello Solano Pride Center!

As we continually increase the Rainbow Alphabet Lexicon of Gender and Sexuality Diversity, one thing is clear to me, language is fluid, much like many in our community!

It is so important to learn all the words and definitions. And, something that can be difficult, we must respect that this will never be an exhaustive list. Exploring these identities will be ever evolving and change with time. Each generation will provide a new perspective.

So as we gear up for Pride and the future, let’s remember that while we learn about what has already been discovered, that each human must and will identify themselves. We can provide the previously agreed upon terminology, and let our community individually decide what that means for them.

Be curious, guide with kindness and openness and be willing to learn.

And for those coming on board, respect those that came before, their efforts and existence provides the ground work for your blossoming.

Much love, Pride is coming and we have a lot of celebrating to do! We are still here, we’ve taken back Queer and we aren’t going anywhere!

Much love, thanks for reading,

Stephan Clifford, LCSW
Board Member
Treasurer, Program’s Chair
Stephan@SolanoPride.Org

Thanks to all who came out for Rainbow Wonderland Adult Prom!

We had a great time together, making new memories. And a huge to all of our volunteers who made the night what it was!

Thank you Solano Pride!

I graduated from Benicia High School in 1998. My wife and I started dating in secret in 1996 after being best friends for 3 years. The 90s was the era of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and Defense Against Marriage Act. It was a lot of “you may exist as long as I don’t see you”. Going to prom together was off the table. Our junior Prom we went to the Olive Garden and for our Senior Prom I saved my money and went to see RENT at the Orpheum theater in San Francisco (in my black on black mustang convertible, I miss that car).

Over time the rebellion feeling faded and the loss of a milestone belonging moment became an infected sliver in my memories.

So, then here we are in a different time with a darker view of our alphabet family, which made going to prom with Solano Pride quite the special experience.

My wife and I dressed up, got matching boutonnière/corsage goodies. There was processing the entire time and internal angst and grief around things not having to have been as they were, during the build up.

Then pulling up to see the rainbow arch, everything faded away as we just enjoyed ourselves. Surrounded by multi racial, multi spiritual, all swaths of our rainbow tapestry across all the generations, it was in the most perfect anti fascist evening of fun. Beautiful.

Sure, things should happen in order without worry, surrounded by the folks we grow with, and my life not within a linear progression, has been filled with blessings, despite the adversities. It’s hard to find that radical gratitude sometimes, and yet vitally important to truly live this life.

To all the folks that donated time and money, to the staff at Solano Pride whom I hold so dear to my heart, to all the family that came out to Prom and danced, performed, sang along or just sipped and people watched, thank you for resisting doom and celebrating the rainbow fireworks that we create whenever we come together in our inclusive diversity.

Thank you Will McGarvey for remembering and understanding when I left the youth prom last year and asked for just this opportunity.

Thanks for being you and accepting me. More of this, forevermore.

Stephan L.T. Clifford

Volunteer at Suisun Pride!

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!

Next HANDS OFF! Fairfield, every Thursday afternoon from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the corner of Pennsylvania Street & Travis Blvd., Saturday, May 17th at noon at the Same Corner in Fairfield & June 14th (flag day) at a site to be announced.

(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.

Indivisible Vacaville is hosting a protest Saturday, Saturday, May 17th.

Thank you for joining the Indivisible Vacaville group. Saturday, May 17th, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm we will be protesting in front of Vacaville City Hall, 650 Merchant St.

There is public parking in back of City Hall and a breezeway next to the rose garden that you can easily walk through to the front of City Hall.

Indivisible Hands-off of our Civil Rights is the theme. We are reclaiming our flag. Bring your signs, flags, water, chairs.

Remember this is a peaceful protest.

Do not engage with negative gestures or speech. Our chant is “this is what democracy looks like”. Hope to see you there

Linda C. James (70lcjames@gmail.com)

The announcements for upcoming protests and advocacy can now be found on our Protests and Advocacy page under program in the menu above….

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!

Sally Miller Gearhart (1931-1921) was a Lesbian professor and science fiction writer. As an activist Sally was a close colleague of Harvey Milk and worked with him to defeat the Briggs initiative which would have prevented LGBT people from teaching in schools. In the second half of her life Sally retreated to the California redwoods to build a commune with a collective of women. The award winning documentary SALLY features archival footage of her political action and personal footage from the land.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2420408431674893

Learn how to better understand, support and connect with your LGBTQ+ family and community! Presented by Solano Pride Center – Hosted by Carquinez Village

TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2024 from 6:30PM – 8:00PM
BENICIA PUBLIC LIBRARY, 150 East L Street

FREE EVENT & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

• LGBTQIA+ Terms and Definitions
• Living Authentically as We Age
• Safe Space Q&A: “Ask us anything!”

How To Be An Ally at the Benicia Library!

Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30 pm in the Doña Benicia Room!

This Pride Month, we invite you to bring the questions you’ve always wanted to ask of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in a respectful, open environment. Whether you’re new to allyship or looking to deepen your understanding, this interactive Q&A session with a representative from Solano Pride Center offers a chance to learn, connect, and grow.

Here’s the mission and vision for Solano Pride Center:

“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+ individuals can live freely and authentically.”

Allies play an important role in making that vision a reality.

All are welcome. Come with curiosity, leave with knowledge. Link

Red Cross Blood Drives come to Solano Pride Center!

Not everyone can give blood…but everyone is eligible to volunteer.

Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, but 100 percent can volunteer to help you host a successful blood drive. Every time you receive a “no” from a potential blood donor, ask him or her to say “yes” to volunteering their time to participate in saving lives. There are many opportunities to engage volunteers—even if it’s only for an hour or as little as 30 minutes. And, 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
Cristina Zaldana

More information now in our HIV Prevention page, under the Programs in the menu above…

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, May 20th 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….

Hello Community Vendor or Organization,

Vacaville People’s Forum would like to extend an invitation to you to join us again this year as a vendor or community table at the 5th Annual Pride in the Park 2025, happening on Sunday, June 22, from 12:00–3:00 PM at Andrews Park (614 E Monte Vista Ave, Vacaville, CA 95688). The event will include performances by Drag Queens and Kings, music by DJ Rene Ortiz, food and more!!

Your past participation has helped make this event a meaningful and vibrant celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community in Vacaville, and we’d love to have you back with us this year. At a time when LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility are facing renewed resistance across the country, coming together as a community is more important than ever. Pride in the Park is about joy, resilience, and solidarity, and your presence helps make that possible.

Last year we received a lot of feedback from vendors about the heat and have reserved both sides of the stage and plan to have all vendors on the cement side of the bandshell stage where there is more shade, while the main event will take place on the grass-side. Please see the application form as you can select if you’d like to be placed on the park-side of the stage or the grass-side. The FaceBook event can be found here.

If you’d like to join us as a vendor and/or contribute as a sponsor to help support the event, please fill out the application here as soon as possible or by Saturday, May 17 so that we can reserve your spot and include your organization in our promotional materials. Space is on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you are unable to join us or would also like to sponsor the event, please see our event Sponsorship options which can also be found here.

For more information, please feel free to reach out at vpf@vvpeoplesforum.org! Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you there!

In community,

Mary Vasquez, Chair
Vacaville People’s Forum

Vacaville People’s Forum
www.vvpeoplesforum.org
vpf@vvpeoplesforum.org

Donate: https://givebutter.com/VVPeoplesForum2025

Follow us:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vvpeoplesforum/
IG: http://instagram.com/vvpeoplesforum
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VacavillePeoplesForum

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.

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.

Wednesday, May 14th:

Wednesday, May 7th:

Wednesday, April 30th:

Wednesday, April 23rd:

Wednesday, April 16th:

Wednesday, April 9th:

Wednesday, April 2nd:

Wednesday, March 19th:

Wednesday, March 12th:

Wednesday, March 5th:

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!

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 14^th (veterans comprise a significant portion of our community). Though we sent our request to the whole City Council on April 17^th, 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