Remembering our Donna J. Harris. | Staff, Board and friends at Donna J. Harri’s Celebration of Life Nov 15, 2025. | | |
Dear Friends,
I watched the Apple TV documentary and show “Come and See Me in the Good Light” the other night – it’s a story about the life, loves and cancer of Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, including the last spoken word poetry event Andrea shared before her death. It is a powerful piece about their relationship, hopes, dreams, and fight for life, while Andrea & Megan are being brutally honest with expressing what they are feeling on the journey. As you can tell, I highly recommend seeing it. Grab a tissue or two.
| |
I can only imagine the conversations that are happening between Donna J. Harris and our own Sandy Stetler (former Board and Executive Director of SPC) in heaven or whatever afterlife they are experiencing together. We know how much Donna missed Sandy, and how ready she was to be with her again. So many people knew our Donna from so many walks of life, that it was quite the celebration with so many stories about her time as a registered nurse, para-educator, ASL instructor, Board Member, and Star Trek aficionado.
| |
We had a great conversation with our Trans Panel “Meet the Folx” at Community Congregational Church UCC in Benicia. It was another time to be reminded how diverse the Trans – or any community – can be. (We will share the link to the recording here as soon as we get it posted!).
| |
Continuing Thursday, November 20, 2025 from 6 to 7:30 pm in the Conference Room. LGBTQ+ Drama Therapy Group
A free, supportive environment for self-expression and building community
What is Drama Therapy?
Drama Therapy is a chance to connect with others and explore emotions, identity, and social interactions through the use of theatrical techniques.
Who can participate?
This group is designed for the LGBTQ+ community. It is open to actors and non-actors alike. No prior theater experience is required.
When and where is the group?
This week we meet on Thursday from 6:00pm - 6:50pm before the Arts & Crafts begin at 7 pm. Knock on the main doors if they are locked. We will meet at the Solano Pride Center conference room at 1234 Empire Street in Fairfield.
How can I get more information?
Please reach out to Erik at erik@solanopride.org
|
Castro District tour for 18-24 year olds is an opportunity to go to the city on the Ferry, learn to use Bart/Muni/Ferry, learn about Queer History, and have a fun time together.
Register with Trystan@solanopride.org today! $25 contribution, and SPC will pay for the rest of the travel costs. Bring funds you want to spend for lunch, snacks and drinks.
9-12th Grade Queer History Field Trip to the City, learning how to use public transit, from Ferry, BART & Muni! Download the Permission slip below, having it filled out and given to Trystan by Wednesday, November 26th at 9 am to trystan@solanopride.org!
SPC Parental Permission Queer History Trip - Download
| RSVP at spc@solanopride.org to get the address! | Like other LGBTQIA2S+ Centers, We Need Your Financial Support! Keep your Local Center Open by giving today! |
Help Solano Pride Center turn See's Candy into cash.
Thank you for supporting the Solano Pride Center! We’ll receive profits from any items you purchase below. Order more to help us reach our fundraising goal! Copy and paste this updated link in your marketing emails and social media posts: https://www.yumraising.com/store/all-year-2025-solano-pride-center-8d3e/ChaRic2420
| |
Raise money for the Center without sending a check or buying a thing!
It's easy to start. Go to your text app, and text "Impact" to the number 90412, choose Solano Pride Center, and then answer questions about businesses you have patronized in the past, giving your honest opinion in the questions! That's it! You can give reviews of up to 75 businesses a year, so if you helped us out last spring, you can try again to reach your 75 total in any given year! And, you can do so any time of day!
Contribute without cash!
Our next HundredX money free fundraiser – giving feedback on businesses online from November 3rd to December 2nd will be our winter participatory fundraiser. We will have a training again beforehand. Let Will know if you are interested in joining! Great to give funds to the Center without writing a Check!
| |
Can you spare a few dollars to help keep the Center open during these trying times? LGBTQIA2S+ Centers across the state are experiencing a drop in donations, and your support is crucial to help us continue delivering the life-saving services our community depends on.
We are recognizing that the uncertainty since Trump returned to office 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!
| |
Will McGarvey
he/they
Executive Director
Solano Pride Center
will@solanopride.org
| |
Stephan's Corner
See you later
On Saturday November 15th we gathered in worship and memorial to honor our Beloved Donna Jeanne Harris.
The service at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church of Fairfield, led by Holy Family Old Catholic Church Bishop Robert Fuentes and his husband Archdeacon Louis Souza-Fuentes, was the most beautiful, human and spiritual memorial/funeral I have ever attended. The service was detailed by Donna during her end of life. The music, the scripture, the poem, all picked by her. What a privilege it was to behold.
The way religion, modern times and Donna’s heart were presented, made everything of the day all the more perfect due to the authenticity. Donna lived her life in service to others, that was how she fueled her tank and how I always felt her presence.
Donna’s daughter Christine challenged us to share at the reception how we knew her. Why? Well other than remembrance, reality is that Donna did so many things and was so many things and loved so many things, (as dictated in one of the most loving, detailed and beautiful eulogies I have ever heard) that maybe we might just learn something new! There were many things I had not known about her, and yet none of the aspects of her life were unexpected. Cher impersonator? Well of course she was!
A couple of years ago a colleague sent me a flyer that the Solano Pride Center was looking for board members. I had never been on a board. Boards were mysterious and exalted aspects of my life covered in the mists of my lack of experience. I mulled it over for many days, declaring I did not have the time and surely someone else was better qualified. And yet somehow I sent in an application and was mystified at the excitement that my email was responded to by the former board chairs Brigid and Vincent.
I remember meeting Donna and being drawn to her. Her son and I have the same name and yet pronounced different. We both love our Irish heritage. She felt like the Irish Gramma I always wanted. At the first holiday party I sat next to her because she made me feel safe and she was funny as hell.
When Donna told us she was sick, she made it very clear how much she loved life and her family and service. She also made it clear that if she were to die, she was fine to be reunited with the love of her life, Sandy, a woman I never met and yet her legacy of love and service continues through the center’s work, exactly as Donna’s will now.
As Donna’s time on Earth neared the end, my time at the center was changed as I became the President of the Board. I remember wishing I had more time with her, to learn more, to gain more of her wisdom. After our ‘thank you for a lifetime of service’ senior lunch for Donna, she came onto a board zoom unexpectedly. In just a few moments of her energy she reminded us that the entire center operated on garage sales and meetings out of community member homes during lean times. After she died, our next board meeting was greeted with a letter she beautifully wrote to us, to remind us of the history in the work done here and inspiration to continue. She always had just the right thing to say, or at the very least something funny to get us rolling.
Donna didn’t want tributes or compliments, I tried many times to provide gratitude. The reality was, she just did what she felt was right. She learned from experience and grew from it in order to include and show love and support to others.
Surrounded by those that knew and cherished Donna, I saw the diversity of the human quilt that exemplifies the Solano Pride Center’s mission and purpose. I saw holy people ready to take the call for those in need. We were promised that we will see and be in Donna’s presence again, much as Donna yearned for with Sandy.
Before the service I was listening to RENT and feeling sad, lonely, tired. Am I enough during these trying times? Can I do all the things I am called to do? A single leaf hit the windshield and I glanced at it, seeing the beauty of it in the tributaries of its surface and colors. It made me smile. I instantly was reminded of Donna’s spirit.
Everything we do will be in she and Sandy’s memory, honoring their legacy and the legacies of all the Rainbow people that have pushed the world to accept, include and remember us. We don’t have to wait to be reunited, we can feel her, them, now. When we are tired, let them inspire us, as their ancestors inspired them.
May we honor all those who came before us, those that said “no” or “not today” or “never again” and didn’t move from their bus seat, or walked across a bridge, who demanded liberty or death, those that followed the North Star to freedom, who invited us to the revolution and fought for our rights. Donna has joined a pantheon of strength that pushed our humanity forward.
So when you feel tired, weary, hopeless, remember you are the answer to thousands of prayers and you are not alone. You don’t have to be perfect, or flashy, or anything other than who you are. Join us to fill your cup, we will accept you, as you are enough. And if I have learned anything at all, the least we will do, is make each other laugh.
For Donna and Sandy and all of us, we can do this, it is our time. May we rise together the way the road rose to meet Donna Jeanne Harris!
Amen.
Your Board President in service
Stephan Clifford
Stephan@solanopride.org
| |
NEW EXHIBITION HONORS THE LEGACY & IMPACT OF TRANS PEOPLE OF COLOR.
I Live The Life I Love Because I Love The Life I Live: A Celebration of Trans People of Color, a new exhibition co-presented with the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive, is now on view at the GLBT Historical Society Museum.
| |
The exhibition, launched during this Transgender Awareness Month, celebrates Black, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander trans and gender-nonconforming people who lived authentically in the face of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and class prejudice. It highlights both performance and everyday expressions of identity, featuring studio portraits from Finocchio’s and the Jewel Box Revue alongside personal ephemera, candid photographs, activist materials, and more.
Featured in this groundbreaking exhibition are important historical figures such as Stormé DeLarverie, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, David de Alba, Li-Kar, and Red Jordan Arobateau along with community organizers like Brenda Lee and members of the Filipino Task Force on AIDS, who fought for access to care and dignity during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Plan Your Visit Today
| |
MEET THE CURATOR
Ms. Bob Davis is the director and founder of the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive. She served two terms on the GLBT Historical Society board of directors, one as secretary, and has presented at the Moving Trans History Forward conferences in 2014, 2018, and 2020 at the University of Victoria. She teaches music at Napa Valley College and City College of San Francisco.
“The exhibit presents 100 years of trans history depicting the universality and diversity of the trans experience,” said Ms. Bob Davis. “The unique lived experience of the GLBT History Museum’s diverse staff brings depth and insight to the exhibit. We hope visitors will leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of Asian, Black and Latinx trans lives and culture.”
|
| Food and Other Resources Available in the Community! Giving opportunities to meet neighbors needs. | | |
Solano County Office of Education is hosting a Winter Warmth & Wellness Drive.
Help Keep Solano Students Warm This Winter
ACCEPTING DONATIONS UNTIL DECEMBER 1, 2025
Solano County Office of Education and the Faith and Education Collaborative invite the community to participate in their 2025 Winter Warmth and Wellness Drive, supporting students and families throughout Solano County who are in need of winter essentials. Donations will be collected through December 1, 2025.
The Winter Warmth and Wellness Drive provides a meaningful opportunity for individuals, schools, businesses, and community organizations to come together and ensure every child and family has access to warm clothing and basic necessities as colder months approach. Items collected will be distributed to Solano County students and families experiencing unstable housing or hardships.
WHAT TO DONATE:
Both organizations request only new items (no used items please) for donations, including:
coats, blankets, hats, gloves, socks, pajamas, umbrellas, and personal hygiene kits.
Monetary contributions are also welcome and can be donated through PayPal.
SCOE would like to thank the numerous organizations partnering together to make the Winter Warm and Wellness Drive possible.
DROP OFF LOCATIONS:
- Benicia Ballet located at 390 Military E, Benicia
- Solano Community College EOPS, located at 4000 Suisun Valley Road, building 400, 2nd Floor, Room 429, Fairfield
- Solano County Office of Education Main Office located at 5100 Business Center Dr, Fairfield
- Benicia Police Department located at 200 E L St, Benicia
- Benicia Chamber of Commerce located at 601 First St STE 100, Benicia
- Victor Community Support Services located at 801 Empire St, Fairfield
- Solano County Probation Department, Located at 475 Union Ave, Fairfield
- Fairfield-Suisun Adult School located at 900 Travis Blvd, Fairfield
- Golden Hills Community School located at 2460 Clay Bank Rd, Fairfield
-
For more information about donations, contact Candace Jenkins at cjenkins@solanocoe.net or (707)399-4863. More info here...
| | |
Food is Free Bay Area distribution
1 in 4 Solano residents will not receive SNAP benefits as of November 1, 2025. Our neighbors need help NOW!
Information from Food is Free Bay Area:
- We distribute food every week at several locations.
Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. inside McCormack Hall at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo.
- Tuesdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Benicia.
- Every Second and Fourth Saturday at mobile sites in Vacaville.
- Every Third Saturday at the Benicia Library from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Senior Food Box Program
We are proud to offer the Community Senior Food Box Program for Solano County Seniors aged 55 and older. Please come to our distributions to sign up for this program. Program proudly funded by Napa Solano Area Agency on Aging.
Ways to Help
There are many ways to get involved and support our cause. You can make a donation, become a volunteer, or even organize a fundraising event in your community. Whatever you choose, know that your contribution will make a difference in the lives of those in need.
TO DONATE, VOLUNTEER AND FIND OUT WHERE TO GET FREE FOOD, GO TO: https://fifbayarea.org/
| |
Food Bank has a Food Finder.
Link is here:
Input your zip code and fine the closest Food Closets.
| | |
Join us in spreading love and joy this holiday season by providing gifts and food assistance to Vallejo families for the 2025 Annual Holiday Giving Event.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
from 1:00 pm–4:00 pm
John F. Kennedy Library – Vallejo Room
505 Santa Clara St, Vallejo, CA 94590
How to Help:
| | |
We have a recording!
If you missed this conversation on stories and understanding for Grandparents of Trans folx, here's the recording with Janna Barkin, author of 'He's Always Been My Son' and 'A Grand Love: Stories for Grandparents of Transgender Grandchildren.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dcXTw3rzSs
| | |
Thank you, California!
California voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly supported Prop. 50, Gov. Gavin Newsom's measure to create more Democratic congressional seats, countering a similar redistricting effort pushed by President Trump in other states to protect Republican control of the House.
| |
LOUNGE LIBRARY RESOURCES:
We have the power to read books! We don’t need any expensive gadgets to read a book. We don’t need any cables, monitors or electricity for that matter. What we do need is the want to read. We might even have to change some gears so that we can get in the habit of reading. Now in the New Release section!
| |
Gay Science: The totally scientific examination of LGBTQ+ Culture, Myths, and Stereotypes.
by Rob Anderson
Gay Science by Rob Anderson is available now for quick shipment to any U.S. location! This book is in good condition or better. Over the years we have learned how to provide students with cheap prices on books with fast shipping. We know how overpriced books and textbooks can be, so we ensure that our customers have access to those same books at affordable prices. Just complete the checkout process for this book and it will be shipped to you for immediate use.
(Order online here.)
| |
Special SPC Poetry & Writing Anthology Benefit Project Announced! Call for submissions by Feb 1st, 2025.
It was a dark and stormy night
When at my desk I began to write
Of things poetic and such
And things that might impress me much. (apologies to Shania Twain)
Of talents wasted or quite unknown
Of slighted authors we bemoan
Yet, what light thru yonder window gleams?
Groupings of stories, prose, and poems, it seems.
Solano Pride doth beg your submission
With cheery smile and signed permission
To share your works for published glory
Be they sweet or silly or even gory
Make haste to share your treasured text
With brains afire and muscles flexed
They be due by end of next January
So send them to us and do not tarry!
M. West
If you’d like to submit an original poem, short story, haiku or other artistic representation by February 1st, 2026. If we have enough to create an anthology of all of our writing as a fundraiser for the Solano Pride Center. Email submissions to spc@solanopride.org with a short written certification that the item is of your own creation, and that you give permission for it to be included in a fundraising anthology on behalf of the Center. We got our first three submissions last week!
| |
HundredX Causes: Submit 5 surveys today to help SPC continue our programs.
Can you take a few minutes to submit 5 surveys today? Each survey takes 60-90 seconds and generates $$ for Solano Pride Center as we generate dollars to support our life saving work.
Go to your text app, and text "Impact" to the number 90412, choose Solano Pride Center, and then answer questions about businesses you have patronized in the past, giving your honest opinion in the questions! That's it! You can give reviews of up to 75 businesses a year, so if you helped us out last spring, you can try again to reach your 75 total in any given year! And, you can do so any time of day!
| |
Are you or your business interested in Sponsoring Suisun Pride 2026? Follow this link to share your interest, or sign up to Sponsor today!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14yJX7oowxH6HzTl_RzY3L5jf6oAMnzKLG9OrBxEsf-M/viewform?edit_requested=true
|
Other local and regional gatherings:
Wednesdays from 4:15 to 5:15 pm in front of the Vallejo Ferry building.
Thursdays at 5 pm in Benicia, Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible hosts flag waving by the Gazebo in City Park (Military & First Street, Benicia). https://www.facebook.com/events/1077820594478484/1077820677811809/?active_tab=about
Sundays at noon in Benicia, Vallejo-Benicia Indivisible hosts flag waving by the Gazebo in City Park (Military & First Street, Benicia). https://www.facebook.com/events/1077820594478484/1077820677811809/?active_tab=about
| | |
Our counselors have special training and skills in treating a vast number of issues. Their training in treating trauma, depression, anxiety, and grief has been especially helpful as we've navigated the ever-changing and uncertain path of our times. We are fortunate to have counselors with LGBTQIA2S+ cultural competency, so you know they will have heard about your uniqueness just by stepping through our doors! You can sign up for free counseling by calling our confidential Counseling line at 707.389.4520.
| | |
Have you ever been near the end of your rope, and need someone to help you find the resources you need to survive? Solano Pride Center staff can help!
Many of our staff know much about the County's support system, and can help you sign up for food assistance, Medi-Cal, and even give you referrals to our sister organizations serving those in need around the county. Give Kacen Cosmos, our Associate Clinical Social Worker a jingle, text or email to learn more.
| | |
THE TRANSFORMATION STATION.
This will be a place where our Trans/Non-binary folks can come in and pick out any articles of clothing that they need. They will choose from our community's donations.
We are heading into Fall which means it just might be getting a bit chilly....or....you might be looking for a job and making the rounds of interviews....or if you just want to look F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S, we've got your back!
Right now, we are asking for donations.
Donations of
- Clothes (Business suits, dresses, skirts, blouses, sweaters, Jackets, etc)
- Shoes (In good condition)
- Halloween costumes, Wigs,
- Hangers.
- Long mirror with lights on the mirror
- Donation of a small vanity.
Please contact cristina@solanopride.org for donations and questions.
| |
Our next Volunteer Training will be scheduled for Friday, November 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 Teen and Adult Proms and June 1st Pride celebration being planned now! Don't miss this informative background on how to help, knowing our best practices and Community Agreements! Parents and youth who want to work with the Youth Department, please contact trystan@solanopride.org.
Volunteering: https://www.solanopride.org/volunteering/
| |
The county has a new Community Health Needs Assessment Survey they'd like input from our community upon. Please visit this link to get more information about the survey, and how you can help share the needs of the LGBTQIA2S+ Community! Please share all of our needs there, since the county needs to have more input from US.
| | Updated Youth Programming | | Next Up for Youth & Young Adults around the county! | | |
Upcoming Youth Programs
across the County! Look for the updated fall locations!
| | We will be doing a field trip to the Castro and Tenderloin to learn LGBTQIA2-S+ History for 9-12th graders on Friday, November 28th (Black Friday). Let Trystan know if you would like to get a permission form. | |
9-12th Grade Queer History Field Trip to the City
You will learn how to use public transit, from Ferry, BART & Muni! Download the Permission slip below, having it filled out and given to Trystan by Wednesday, November 26th at 9 am to trystan@solanopride.org!
Download the permission form here!
| | Upcoming Social & Support Groups! | |
Check out the new Mindfulness Group!
What should our next Queering Faith group topic be?
| To see all of Social and Support on our website, please go under the home button in the menu or go to this link. Social & Support Groups: https://solanopride.org/social-and-support-groups | |
LGBTQ2S+ Men's Support Group (3rd Wednesdays – New time! November 19th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm – we will meet at Que Onda Tacobar, at 112 Nut Tree Rd, in Vacaville for dinner. Let Will or Milton know if you can meet us there.
We will be having an open discussion, so bring a topic to share! This group is for all those who identify as Male or Trans Masc, and is trans inclusive, led by Will McGarvey & Milton Heath Solórzano. Contact us by email for more info at will@solanopride.org or miltonheath@solanopride.org.
| |
Continuing Thursday, November 20, 2025 at From 6:00pm - 7:30pm in the Conference Room. Knock on the main doors if they are locked. LGBTQ+ Drama Therapy Group
A free, supportive environment for self-expression and building community
What is Drama Therapy?
Drama Therapy is a chance to connect with others and explore emotions, identity, and social interactions through the use of theatrical techniques.
Who can participate?
This group is designed for the LGBTQ+ community. It is open to actors and non-actors alike. No prior theater experience is required.
When and where is the group?
This week we meet on Thursday from 6:00pm - 6:50pm before the Arts & Crafts begin at 7 pm. Knock on the main doors if they are locked. We will meet at the Solano Pride Center conference room at 1234 Empire Street in Fairfield.
How can I get more information?
Please reach out to Erik at erik@solanopride.org
| | |
A supportive gathering for those who experience Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain is temporarily on hiatus.
The next meeting with Crystal will be Monday, November 24th at 6:00 pm on zoom, and Fridays Nov 21st in person. Contact Crystal for more info, and know that you are not alone. Crystal can be contacted at crystal@solanopride.org or by phone or text at 707.302.8260.
| | |
The Gender Expansive Circle will meet again on Friday, Nov 21st & Dec 5th at 5:30 pm on zoom.
On Friday, meet again on Friday, Nov 21st at 5:30 pm at an eatery nearby. To get the location, email Kacen or Cristina at the emails below. This is a great opportunity to learn more about our trans, enby, and gender nonconforming history. Please rsvp to either kacen@solanopride.org or cristina@solanopride.org to attend this presentation.
First & Third Fridays in person in the Conference Room or Library Lounge. Please enter through the side entrance. This group is for Trans, Intersex, Non-binary, Gender Non-Conforming, 2 Spirit and those questioning their gender identity or expression. The group is led by Kacen Cosmos and Cristina Zaldana!
| |
The QR code: Queer Recovery
A secular 12-step LGBTQ+ group for those in recovery for any addictions. The next meeting will be Sunday, November 23rd at 7 pm. The group will meet in person at the Solano Pride Center’s Conference Room on every Sunday evening now, at 7 pm. Come to the main doors near our offices and knock to be let in. Hosted by Christopher Cortes (christopher@solanopride.org) with shared leadership from other members of the group. Anonymity will be protected.
| |
The HIV Positive Support Group will continue as a zoom group on the 3rd Wednesday this month, but now from 5:30 to 7 pm.
Contact cristina@solanopride.org for more information. This is the first meeting, so plan on attending to share what you'd like to see in future meetings! Facilitated by Cristina Zaldana.
| |
Movie Night at Solano Pride! We will be having a regular movie night at the center, the 4th Tuesdays of the month starting at 6pm. Feel free to being refreshments or dinner. We will be intermixing Queer history and fun.
| |
Next up is Tuesday, November 25th
Return of the Jedi – Join the resistance!
6-8 pm in the Conference Room at the Center. Let Stephan know if you have any questions! Stephan@SolanoPride.org
Dec. 1st we will watch "And the Band Played On" for World AIDS Day.
| |
Our next gathering will be Gayme Night on Thursday, December 4th at 7:00 pm!
If you'd like to share an art project, please contact us. Just bring any games you'd like to play or share.
Senior Holiday arts being scheduled for a weekday during the light times. Let Will know what days would work for you!
Our next gathering will be Arts & Crafts Night on Thursday, Jan. 8th at 7:00 pm!
| |
New Dungeons & Dragons Group will continue online.
Hey Dungeons and Dragons Adventurers! Please email Stephan@solanopride.org to be added to our DND communications and planning. Dungeon Mistress Izzy will contact you about meet ups and or reservist waiting list if our group gets too large!
Thank you!
| |
Pan-Pagan/Magickal Support Group normally meets the 4th Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm, and will next meet in person at 5:00 pm on Sunday, December 21st for Solstice/Yule, this month back at a member's home for Solstice Tea! We will take November off, since the meeting would have been the night before Thanksgiving.
This group is for those with any form of neo-pagan, polytheistic, or non-abrahamic practice, to explore the intersections of queerness and pagan spirituality. Led by members of SPC Staff. Bring something from your altar to share about. Bring something from your altar to share about. Email will@solanopride.org for more info.
| | |
Our last Red Cross Blood Drive was a huge success!
Blood products collected at your drive have now delivered to patients in need of vital care! Distribution included, but was not limited to, the following local hospitals:
• UCSF MEDICAL CENTER
• JOHN MUIR MED CTR-WALNUT CREEK CAMPUS
There aren't the same 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 once we set another date in early January.
| |
Gen Silent and Cultural Competency Training for those serve LGBTQ+ Seniors!
If your Senior Living setting or agency serving Seniors need Cultural Competency Training for your staff, which is mandated by the state of California, we are willing to come do a training or create a training specifically for your staff and leadership! Contact will@solanopride.org for more info.
| | |
SPC Trainings for your Team
We have Cultural competency Trainings for Schools, Teachers, Professors, Therapists, Social Workers, Case Managers, Businesses, Health Care workers, Senior Centers, and all who work with LGBTQIA2S+ people in every environment. Yes, we have a 2.5 hour long SB 923 training for health systems available now!
Contact will@solanopride.org for more information.
| | We need People of Color from Central and West County, age 21 and up. Please apply today by emailing board@solanopride.org! | | |
Vallejo's Drag Brunch @ Bambino's Level Up in November
Sunday, November 23 · 10am - 1pm PDT. Doors at 9:30am
Bambino's Vallejo - Pizza, Pasta + Full Bar, 301 Georgia Street #suite 122 Vallejo, CA 94590. LEVEL UP and celebrate November CELEBRATIONS at Vallejo's DRAG Brunch!
Are you ready for November DRAG hosted by no other than Sadie C. Sparkles and MissCherrylane. It’s a chance to embrace the vibrant spirit of the LGBTQ+ community and enjoy a brunch experience like no other. Come on down and be part of this exciting new event that brings drag and queer culture to our community! Event link.
| |
Adrienne’s Holiday Draguation—a festive and glamorous drag showcase—is coming to the Downtown Theatre in Fairfield, CA, on November 29th.
Inspired by Adrienne LaCielo’s graduation from UC Irvine (Bachelor of Music, Business), the event rings in the Holiday season while celebrating LGBT+ artistry, theatre arts, and education. This unforgettable night brings together community and creativity, with proceeds benefiting local youth theatre arts programs and helping preserve vital cultural spaces, including the Downtown Theatre itself.
Visit my page for links or go to www.antonioxadrienne.com to find The Downtown Theatre’s official box office platform.
You can select and reserve seats anywhere in the theatre, 📍pair those seats with a meet and greet, 🫂 OR get the FULL VIP package with Stage—Level seating 🤩 and the meet and greet experience included! Let’s ring in the Holidays together! 🎁❤️
#drag#bayarea#solano#707#draguation#draguation25#holidaydraguation
| | Vallejo Gay Network Events! | | |
Upcoming events!
If you want to host, please email tom@vallejogaynetwork.com
Save the Dates:
- December 27th - Monty and Frankie
| | |
VGN events! Hello Community,
We now have our year fully booked for potlucks, but still, we want to host a games night or three. The Vallejo Gay Network is a community building endeavour and we want to have events that bring us together for fun, entertainment and socializing. To accomplish this, we need our member's help to accomplish this. We need hotsts for the rest of 2025 and into 2026 for these events, if you want to host, please contact me:
- Potlucks: Our signature monthly event that is hosted in our member's home. We need hosts for 2026.
- Game Nights: This is a great night-time event, perfect for Fridays. This is a great time of socializing with the added bonus of playing a variety games. We need our members to host.
- Kite Flying: These events are were designed to be an outting on the Vallejo Waterfront and to get outside. We need a coordinator to help organize these. If you're interested, please send a note.
- Restaurant Take Overs: This is a new Idea, sponsored by the idea from the Benicia LGBTQIA Network to support our local restaurants with our dollars. This would be a weeknight event where we would all just show up at a Vallejo Restaurant.
And to close, please remember that in these dark times, we need to remember that we should all strive to be someone's point of light. Please consider that everyone is dealing with the issues of the day differently, and that the simple act of giving grace is something that costs us nothing. That said, we have seen that this administration, this congress and this supreme court are not here for our community, for our aged community, immigrant communities and for those that are less fortunate than us. Let's strive to be here for one another.
Here's to better days ahead,
Thomas Bilbo Please email tom@vallejogaynetwork.com
| | |
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 Wed, December 10th from 8:30am-10:30am, Vallejo Community Center, 225 Amador St
| | Benicia LGBTQ+ Network Events! | | Save the Date for the next Vacaville Gathering! RSVP at spc@solanopride.org to get the address! | | |
Black Embrace: A Podcast Supporting Black Families Navigating LGBTQIA+ Challenges
By Charlotte Richardson, DSW-C, LCSW and SPC Board Member
This podcast is dedicated to discussing the hard issues at the intersection of Black Family and LGBTQIA+ Youth. Historically the Black Community and LGBTQIA+ issues have been a point of disagreement and Black Family relationship breakdown. This podcast seeks to heal the wounds of family breakdown, create positive communication within Black Families with LGBTQIA+ Youth, and overall improve relationships and connection with Black Families and Community.
Our Clinical Director, Colin Amato, was one of Charlotte's first interviews! Hear it here! Will McGarvey's interview is here!
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/charlotte-richardson4
| |
SF Trans Film Fest! 2025 FESTIVAL DATES
We are thrilled to announce our 2025 Dream Commissions to 5 BIPOC trans, transgender, gender-nonconforming, Indigenous Two-Spirit, non-binary, gender-expansive and genderqueer filmmakers.
Date: November 13-15 (In-Person)
November 16-23 (Online)
In-person: Roxie Theater, San Francisco, USA
Online: via Eventive – https://sftff.org
| | Faith in Action has programs for Seniors on keeping your balance and reducing falls – in both Fairfield and Vallejo! | | |
EVERYBODY is a modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality play Everyman. It puts a twist on a classic morality play, and poses questions regarding one of life’s greatest mysteries... Death. Discovering that their end is nigh, the character Everybody frantically seeks answers to questions like: What do we leave behind? WHO do we leave behind? And more important, is there anybody who might want to come with us? ...Somebody? ANYONE?!!?! November 7-23.
PURCHASE TICKETS! Tickets just $10-$24!
Why EVERYBODY? "The first time I read EVERYBODY, I fell in love with it on many levels,” said director JanLee Marshall. “The cast is open to everybody—pun intended—and the story is about everybody. I like to make theater that makes people laugh and that makes people think. And I’m totally okay if they cry too.”
| |
The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot
Compton's Cafeteria Drag Brunch with Mary Vice & Coco Buttah
Sunday November 23, 2025 | 12-2pm at “The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot” venue | 835 Larkin St. SF.
$45 for a show, a meal, and unlimited mimosas.
TICKETS
Mary Vice and Coco Buttah — two regulars of the The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot — present a drag brunch in the play's venue at 835 Larkin St.
In 1966, three years before Stonewall, the Tenderloin district of San Francisco became the stage for one of the first acts of organized LGBTQ+ resistance in the United States. The queens and transgender women who gathered at Compton’s Cafeteria weren’t just meeting for a meal—they were building community and finding strength in their shared struggles. When police harassment pushed them too far, they took a stand. Their bravery sparked a riot that changed the course of LGBTQ+ history. This is the story of their resilience, their defiance, and their fight for the right to exist.
Holiday drag spectacular will be on December 18. Regular Friday and Saturday shows resume on January 16, 2026. PURCHASE TICKETS.
| | Ever wondered if the Center is open, or how to contact the staff member you need? | | |
Yesterday kicked off Transgender Awareness Week 🏳️⚧️ — so take some time over the next few days to celebrate and support the trans people in your life and community.
We're still buzzing from last Tuesday's election results and already starting to lay the groundwork for 2026 midterm election planning. This week also saw the government shutdown come to an end after 43 days — read below for more on that, and other news affecting LGBTQ+ people this week.
To view previous news items from the Equality Brief, visit our website.
Week of Nov. 9-Nov. 15, 2025:
- 43 Day Government Shutdown Ends With 'Clean' Spending Bill Passed:
-
The longest government shutdown in history ended on Wednesday evening after the House voted 222-209, largely along party lines, to pass a bill that will fund the government through January 30. The bill was quickly signed into law by the President, and importantly, contained no anti-LGBTQ+ provisions. Several Democratic lawmakers, including California's Adam Gray, faced public criticism over their votes to join Republicans' efforts to end the shutdown based on empty promises of future votes on extensions for ACA premium tax credits.
- California Attorney General Releases Guidance on Transgender Healthcare Rights:
-
As attacks against the transgender community and their access to medically-necesssry healthcare continue to escalate, CA Attorney General Rob Bonta released 'Know Your Rights' guidance outlining protections for both patients and providers under California law. "California remains committed to protecting and upholding everyone's right to access healthcare free from discrimination," said Bonta.
- Supreme Court Schedules Arguments in Transgender Athlete Ban Cases:
-
The Court has scheduled oral arguments in two cases — West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox — for January 13, 2026. Both cases focus on challenges brought by transgender students against laws that ban trans women and girls from athletic participation based on their gender identity. Since 2020, 27 states have passed laws banning transgender youth from playing on school sports teams.
- Bipartisan California Congressmen Introduce Fix It Act to Extend ACA Tax Credits:
-
Rep. Sam Liccardo (D, CA-16) and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R, CA-03) teamed up this week to introduce the Fix It Act, a bill which would extend ACA premium tax credits for two years. The legislation would prevent spiking healthcare costs for upwards of 22 million Americans, and would cap eligibility to households whose income is less than six times the federal poverty level.
- U.S. Catholic Bishops Vote to Ban Transgender Healthcare at Catholic Hospitals:
-
At a meeting in Baltimore this week. church officials voted overwhelmingly to make official a ban on any gender-affirming care for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals. In many communities, Catholic hospitals are the only medical centers, and 1 in 7 patients across the country are treated every day, according to the Catholic Hospital Association.
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.
Thank you,
— Jorge
Jorge Reyes Salinas
Communications Director
Pronouns: he/him/his
| |
One of our key legislative wins this session was the signing of SB 59, The Transgender Privacy Act, which makes all court records for name and gender marker changes confidential beginning July 1, 2026. The law also allows people who filed their petitions before July 1, 2026 to request confidentiality through a simple, streamlined process.
Of course with new laws and procedures come new questions. But don’t worry, we've got you covered!
Join us for an upcoming Know Your Rights webinar about SB 59 to get answers to common questions about the law, plus walk through exactly how you can file a request to make your records confidential before the automatic protections take effect. You’ll also hear from experts at TransFamily Support Services, All Family Legal, PC, and California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.
SB 59: Know Your Rights Webinar
📅 Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
🕐 Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
👉 Register Here
I hope to see you there!
— Craig
Craig Pulsipher
Legislative Director
Pronouns: he/him/his
| |
Know Your Rights: Attorney General Bonta Issues Guidance on Gender-Affirming Care Rights in California
OAKLAND — Amidst escalating attacks against the LGBTQ+ community and gender-affirming care, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued guidance outlining protections under California law for medical providers and patients seeking gender-affirming care, as well as obligations for insurers and health plans.
California law prohibits healthcare providers and insurers from discriminating or denying healthcare services to a patient for being transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or intersex, or due to a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Today’s guidance provides information regarding legal protections and obligations related to gender-affirming care under California law.
“As the Trump Administration continues its political attacks against our transgender and LGBTQ+ communities, California remains committed to protecting and upholding everyone’s right to access healthcare free from discrimination,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is critical that you know your rights: In California, state law protects you from discrimination and guarantees access to medically necessary care for everyone, regardless of gender identity. Insurance companies in California have a legal obligation to provide timely, safe, and equitable access to healthcare services, so you can get the support you need.”
In California, you have the right to receive medically necessary gender-affirming care or any other medically necessary healthcare without discrimination. Insurance companies and health plans cannot deny coverage or benefits based on a person’s gender identity or diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Nor can they deny coverage because of inconvenience or inadequate provider networks. If no in-network provider is available within the required time or distance, your insurer must arrange care with an out-of-network provider. Insurance companies also cannot penalize or discriminate against doctors for providing gender-affirming care.
You are Protected from Out-of-State Investigations:
California law protects individuals and families accessing gender-affirming care in our state from other state’s investigation and prosecution. You have the right to receive gender-affirming care in California without fearing that state and local law enforcement will provide your information to aid another state’s investigations into care lawfully performed in California. You have the right to institute a civil action for injunctive, monetary, or other appropriate relief against someone who engages in abusive litigation that infringes on or interferes with gender-affirming care legally performed in California.
Healthcare Practitioners in California are Protected for Providing Lawful, Medically Necessary Gender-Affirming Care:
Medical boards that certify health professionals cannot deny applications for licensure, or suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline providers based on the performance, recommendation, or provision of gender-affirming care. Staff privileges cannot be denied or restricted based on any out-of-state action against a healthcare practitioner for providing gender-affirming care.
Additional Protections:
- California’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Long-Term Care Facility Residents Bill of Rights prohibits discrimination against individuals in long-term care facilities based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status.
- California requires that foster youth, including transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender expansive youth in foster care, have access to medically necessary gender-affirming care, including gender-affirming mental healthcare, based on the prevailing standards of care.
- Transgender and intersex youth detained in California juvenile facilities have the right to access medical and behavioral health providers qualified to provide care and treatment to transgender and intersex youth.
Obligations of Insurers and Healthcare Plans:
- Insurers and healthcare plans covered by California law are prohibited from denying an individual a plan contract, health insurance policy, or coverage for a benefit included in the contract or policy, based on a person’s sex. This includes medically necessary gender-affirming care for treating gender dysphoria.
- Insurers and healthcare plans must also cover medically necessary treatment for gender dysphoria as part of the requirement to cover behavioral health conditions under California law.
- If an in-network provider is unavailable to provide services according to the geographic and timely access standards, the insurer must arrange for an out-of-network provider to provide the services.
- An insurance company shall not terminate or refuse to issue or renew professional liability insurance or increase the premium or deductible for healthcare providers based solely on their provision of gender-affirming care, including based on any legal action taken against the provider by another state for providing such care.
RESOURCES:
California has a number of resources for transgender people and the broader LGBTQ+ community:
If you believe your rights are being violated, 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 Know Your Rights guidance is available here.
| | |
Studies
More studies can be found at:
https://www.solanopride.org/studies/
| |
My name is Jacqueline Rathsack and I am a doctoral student at Saybrook University. As part of the degree requirement, I am expected to complete a research study. The title of my study is Sawubona! Transgender and Nonbinary Youth of African Ancestry Who Are Doing Well: Youth’s Perception of the Contributions of the Child-caregiver Relationship in Their Optimal Identity Formation. The research is supervised by Dr. Theopia Jackson (tackson@saybrook.edu).
The purpose is to explore the lived experiences of transgender and nonbinary adolescents of African ancestry who are doing well and understand how their child-caregiver relationship influences their gender and ethnic identity formation. And to also bring forward voices that have been absent in research, literature, and conversation.
Could you please share this widely? Please forward to the youth and/or their caregivers, and the communities. Please advise that participation is voluntary and will not impact their care. The participants and their information will remain confidential. All questions are to be directed to me, the researcher. It is hoped that their stories of doing well will help others and those who support this population. I have attached my IRB approved flyers.
Thanks for your consideration!
Take care,
Jacqui Rathsack, MA, NCC
(she/her pronouns)
Ph.D. Candidate
jrathsack@saybrook.edu
| |
November Health & Wellness Observances
| | |
Monthly observances in November 2025:
Native American Heritage Month: Native American Heritage Month 2025 is celebrated throughout November to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The month features events like the California Native American Heritage Month Parade on November 8 and a virtual career panel on November 14, and online resources from institutions like the Smithsonian and the U.S. Department of the Interior offer further learning opportunities. The celebration was established by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, building on earlier efforts dating back to 1916.
Transgender Awareness Month: is an annual celebration of transgender history and the transgender community. It is celebrated every November to commemorate the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which occurs on November 20th. The month is centered around educating people about the transgender community, raising visibility of transgender people, and advocating for their rights.
The primary goals of Transgender Awareness Month are to increase visibility of transgender people and to raise awareness about the discrimination and violence that the community faces. During the month, organizations, communities, and individuals come together to host events and activities to celebrate the transgender community and educate the public about the unique experiences of transgender people. These events may include marches and parades, lectures and workshops, film screenings, and art exhibitions.
Transgender Awareness Month is an important time for the transgender community, and it is important for everyone to join in the celebration. Supporting transgender people and advocating for their rights is a critical part of creating a safe and inclusive society for all.
https://heckinunicorn.com/blogs/heckin-unicorn-blog/when-is-transgender-awareness-month-2024-and-what-does-it-mean?currency=USD
First Sunday of November: Transgender Parent Day: The first Sunday of November is Transgender Parent Day, a day established in 2009 to celebrate and support transgender parents and parents of transgender children. It honors the love and resilience in transgender-led families and provides an inclusive alternative to traditional parental recognition days.
Purpose: To honor and celebrate transgender parents, as well as parents who are raising transgender children. Origin: The day was first established in 2009.
Timing: It takes place on the first Sunday of November, coinciding with Transgender Awareness Month. Significance: It offers a way for families to celebrate their unique bonds and for the community to recognize the strength and authenticity of trans parents and their allies.
Nov. 8: Intersex Day of Solidarity: The Intersex Day project was established to share intersex histories and promote human rights events for Intersex Awareness Day and Intersex Day of Solidarity. We have done this by inviting people to share their stories as “comment”, and by documenting actions. In the three years since the Intersex Day Project was established, the intersex movement has grown significantly. This has affected us in two ways. Firstly, there are more events to document, and so we increasingly can only capture some events. Secondly, we ourselves are participating in more actions around the two intersex days.
https://intersexday.org/en/category/actions/awareness/
| |
November 13 – 19: Transgender Awareness Week: Each year between November 13 – 19, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face.
Trans Awareness Week takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence that year. Read more about Transgender Awareness Week (Semana de Concientización Transgénero en espagnol) and Transgender Day of Remembrance below, and find out how you can participate.
What is Transgender Awareness Week? Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the trans community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community. For more about how GLAAD has observed Transgender Awareness Week this year and through the years, check out: https://glaad.org/tag/trans-awareness-week/
Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20TH): Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which occurs annually on 20 November, is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia, or the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and acts to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community The Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded in 1998 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans woman who is a graphic designer, columnist, and activist, to memorialize the murder of Rita Hester in Allston, Massachusetts. Since its inception, TDoR has been held annually on 20 November, and has slowly evolved from the web-based project started by Smith into an international day of action. In 2010, TDoR was observed in over 185 cities throughout more than 20 countries. See our TDOR event on Sat., Nov 22nd from 6-9 pm at the Vallejo Museum.
| | | | |
