Advancing Equality Through Support, Education and Advocacy
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Building on a Foundation of Loving Families |
Letter From the President:
February is Black History Month. If I am being honest with myself, it has not been until the past ten years where I have given much thought to what this month means and why it is so important that it be marked and honored. As so many of us know, being a member of a marginalized community is fraught with hardship; however, many of us can hide what marks us as "other". People of color cannot. It is critical for us all to understand what this means- to get out of our own worldview and step into another's. In January, PFLAG Danville- San Ramon Valley began its strategic planning process. As part of this planning, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our board and of our membership and to increasing our partnerships with organizations working toward equity for other marginalized populations. Why are we doing this? We know that we need to be responsive to the unique needs deriving from the intersectionalities between LGBTQ+ and BIPOC identities. We also know that a truly inclusive community cannot exist without appreciating diversity in all of its forms and without ensuring equity and inclusion for ALL people. In this month's newsletter we have shared some resources to help you on your journey toward increasing your worldview and opportunitie for advocacy to ensure that our education communities do the same. As always, we would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining this work.
All the best,
Lisa Levy
pronouns: she/her/hers
President PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley
GETTING INVOLVED
Every day we are expanding the work we are doing. If you are interested in being a part of that work or know someone who does please let us know at srvpflag@gmail.com.
MEMBERSHIP
Consider supporting our chapter by becoming a paid member for as little as $25/per year. It is not necessary to become a paid member to enjoy any of our services. However, we do depend on grants, donations, and membership fees to continue to support our local community. 100% of membership fees are tax-deductible as we are a 501(c)3 charitable organization. To join, click the link at the top of this message.
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- Please join us at our monthly support meetings which are held on the 3rd Monday of EVERY month from 7-9 PM - currently being held on ZOOM.
- If you are 18 and older join our PFLAG Zoom Social every Monday from 8-9ish PM on Zoom. Contact us at srvpflag@gmail.com for these invitation-only events.
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NEW!: If you have a teenager who is looking for a social opportunity with other LGBTQ+ teens, our PFLAG Highschool Zoom socials are held on the first Sunday evening of each month from 7:00-8:00 PM, please contact us at srvpflag@gmail.com for these invitation-only events. An RSVP is required for these events.
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Q Chat Space, a collaboration between Center Link, PFLAG, and Planned Parenthood, provides online live discussion groups for LGBTQ+ teens ages 13-19. These conversations facilitated by experienced staff who work at LGBTQ+ centers around the country are now being offered in Spanish. For more information click HERE
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Changing Hearts and Minds |
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During the month of March, PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley will be partnering with several organizations to bring some educational opportunities to the community.
- On March 6th from 10:30 AM to noon, we will partner with the San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs and the San Ramon Valley School District to deliver Gender 101 to all interested parents in the district. This educational program will focus on:
- LGBTQ+ terminology,
- gender and all of its component pieces, and
- the importance of gender-inclusive language and how to use it.
We will provide information for registration when it becomes available.
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On March 10th, from 6:30-8:00 PM, we will be participating in a panel discussion with parents and school administrators aimed at helping parents advocate for their trans and gender-nonconforming students sponsored by Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County. Click here for more information on the program and where to register.
SRVUSD Spring Speaker Series Event:
The SRVUSD high school PTSA Inclusion and Diversity Committees proudly present "Stories Build Bridges", a speaker series aimed at promoting inclusion, unity, and community through conversations about equity. These events, which will continue throughout the spring, are aimed at middle and high school students and their families. Click here for information about these events and how to register.
Book Recommendation:
The Book or Movie Recommendation section of our newsletter has historically provided recommendations by and for LGBTQ+ individuals and their family, friends, and allies. Since this summer, many of us have looked more toward intentionally reading books by authors and with characters from different backgrounds and ethnicities than ourselves. In the spirit of Black History month, we would like to share this list of books and this list of movies featuring Black LGBTQ+ characters. Enjoy! |
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LOCAL:
- We have been working with other community organizations, members of the community, and the SRVUSD to help ensure the curriculum offered to all of our students is inclusive, commensurate with the requirements of the FAIR Act, and fully prepares them to be global citizens. A new Ethnic Studies course will be up for Board approval during its February 9th meeting. Many Bay Area districts already offer ethnic studies courses, some as graduation requirements. Next month, the California Department of Education will approve a model curriculum which mandates that all districts require ethnic studies as a graduation requirement by the 2024 school year. Implementing this course now ensures we are being proactive and, more importantly, address our collective goal to ensure our curriculum represents all students now. This course is not without vocal opposers. Letters thanking district leaders and the Board for taking this necessary first step will help them to see how many of us are in support of inclusive education. The letter can be as broad or specific as you desire, it can be an opportunity to share personal stories about how inclusive education/identity affirmation has impacted your family, or why its absence has been damaging as well. If you are interested in sending letters, you can find email addresses here and here. If you are interested in making a public comment at the meeting, information can be found here.
- Over the summer the SRVUSD responded to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by passing Resolution 95/19-20 denouncing racism in our district and community. A coalition of alumni, parents, students, and staff collaborated to write this petition demanding more than words. The petition asks that action on hiring, curriculum, bias training, discipline, and more be taken by the end of 2021. If you would like to be a part of advocating for necessary change at our local level, this is a great place to start. You can help in two ways:
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The petition will be shared with the SRVUSD Board at their February 9th meeting. Please read, sign, and SHARE the petition at tinyurl.com/SRVUSDsign before then.
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Give public comment at the virtual board meeting on Tuesday, 2/9 at 7 pm and tell the board directly why we need urgent action now. Can’t make the 9th? Send written comments to cfischer@srvusd.net with the subject line “Racial Justice Petition.” Tell your friends!
- Along with many other local organizations, PFLAG Danville-San Ramon Valley is a stakeholder in "Breathing Free Together," a Community Art Project for Racial Equity. The theme of “Breathing Free Together” connects with the heart of the Black Lives Matter movement and invites us all to come together in unity to embrace racial equity, harmony, healing, and justice. This community art project is currently inviting art submissions from all members of San Ramon Valley, including youth and adults. Families and groups are also invited to send in submissions. The last date for submissions is March 7, 2021, at 5:00 PM. To learn more details about this initiative and to submit artwork, please read this Project Flyer and Call for Art. You can also email submissions@srsjc.com with questions. The project aims to encourage community dialogue and bring together the San Ramon community to embrace racial equity, harmony, healing, and justice. Your participation and support are deeply appreciated and welcome!
NATIONAL:
It is important for us to take the opportunity to appreciate that with the new Biden/Harris administration our children will once again be able to get jobs, have access to appropriate health care, and love whomever they chose. These are things that many families take for granted, but as we have learned, are very precious indeed.
If you would like to learn about PFLAG's legislative priorities as they begin to work with the new Biden/Harris administration and Congress. you can join their call on Wednesday, February 10th at 5:30PST. Click here to register for this informative town hall meeting and learn how you can work to make change for your LGBTQ+ loved ones in the next four years. |
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