CBHA General Alert

November 21st, 2022

CBHA Leadership Responds to Shooting in Colorado Springs, the Day Before Transgender Day of Remembrance

Dear Colleagues,


On Saturday night, a mass shooting took place at Club Q in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring twenty more. Club Q was the only LGBTQI+ club in the city and was known as a safe place for the LGBTQI+ community. 


The violence and terrible loss has devastated communities across the United States and comes the day before Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR). TDOR was started in 1999 by a transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death.


This tragedy is a horrible reminder that more than 20 years later, the fight for equity and inclusion, and against hatred and violence, is far from over. In a statement, the White House wrote, "While no motive in this attack is yet clear, we know that the LGBTQI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years. Gun violence continues to have a devastating and particular impact on LGBTQI+ communities across our nation and threats of violence are increasing. We saw it six years ago in Orlando, when our nation suffered the deadliest attack affecting the LGBTQI+ community in American history. We continue to see it in the epidemic of violence and murder against transgender women – especially transgender women of color. And tragically, we saw it last night in this devastating attack by a gunman wielding a long rifle at an LGBTQI+ nightclub in Colorado Springs."


CBHA stands with the LGBTQI+ community in California and across the nation. As communities continue to cope with generational trauma caused by violence, the work of providing behavioral health care is of utmost importance. CBHA will continue to work with our members, legislators, and the public to lead dialogue and action to eliminate inequities and strengthen our system of care across the state of California.


In Service,

Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

We appreciate UST, long-time Affinity Member, for their partnerships that both provide our members exceptional services and sponsor our advocacy efforts.
We appreciate our Business Associates for their partnerships that both provide our members exceptional services and sponsor our advocacy efforts.
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