Napa LGBTQ Project
| Help us create more safe spaces! |
The Project's work involves engaging the community to help design and advance the intitiative, developing quality programming for LGBTQ youth and older adults, increasing the capacity of organizations to better serve LGBTQ people and serving as the area's LGBTQ headquarters (both an actual building and for information).
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 Help us find programs that offer services/support to Napa County area LGBTQ people/allies for our soon to be published directory. |
Project News & Upcoming Events
Q*Youth LGBTQ Youth Meeting @ VOICES Napa - May 22, 2012
**UPDATED** V.O.I.C.E.S. Youth Center (at 780 Lincoln Ave) in Napa co-hosts with us a twice monthly meeting for LGBTQ youth, friends and allies, around ages 16-24. It's the perfect place for youth, regardless of school, to meet new friends and a have a great time safely being fully themselves. Snacks, games and support provided. Click here for more info about the meetings, or click here to get more info about VOICES Napa.
LGBT Seniors Discussion Group - June 5, 2012
There are over 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors living in Napa County, according to best estimates. Many are in the closet, or hard to find. In order to foster connections and to create the community we all need as we age, we are launching monthly gatherings to create a place where LGBT older adults can feel safe to be who they are, meet others, have lively discussion and tell their life stories. We need your help in getting the word out. Our first gathering will be Tuesday, May 1from 10:30a - noon (social time begins at 10:00a) at Queen of the Valley Community Outreach Department's large conference room: 3448 Villa Lane, Suite 102, in Napa. There is street & lot parking, wheelchair access, and it is located on major transportation routes. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge. Whether in the closet or not, we're discreet and confidential. For more information please call the group message line at 707-583-2330 or click here to download the flyer. Click here to see the Napa Register's front page coverage of the launch of the group.
Helping create vibrant, visible, consistent GSAs at schools throughout the Valley
**NEW** In late March, we brought together--for the first time--students, teachers and adult supporters from 9 Napa Valley high school and middle school campuses. Participants were interested in developing more visible, vibrant and consistent Gay-Straight Alliance club presences in our Napa Valley schools. Gay-Straight Aliances (GSAs) are student-run clubs which provide safe places for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, and work to end homophobia and transphobia. This support is part of our plans to address the schools/students priority area identified by the hundreds of attendees at last October's Napa LGBTQ Community Forum and will be held throughout this and the next school year. Read the Napa Register's interview with Mariah & Taelor, two students who participated in our 1st convening.
Prop 8 Ruling Gathering Made the News!
Tuesday morning, February 7th, the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its clearly-worded ruling on the un-constitutionality of Prop 8: "Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples...The Constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort. (Read the full ruling here.)"
We hosted a gathering at our offices to be together the morning of this historic ruling and then joined in the evening celebration at Oxbow with the larger community. See videos and a write-up of our morning gathering on Napa Patch and in the Napa Valley Register.
Launching Napa Valley's "Equality Alliance" - 2012
Organizations wishing to join us in our work and visibly show their commitment to awareness and inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people may take part in the innaugural year of our "Equality Alliance". Organizations will be guided through a process in assessing their agency's strengths and growth areas and develop a six-month action plan. Participating organizations will be listed in our resource directory and awarded a locally created logo to publicly highlight their commitment. Interested organizations should contact Ian Stanley at ian.voices@gmail.com.
Best Practices Workshops
This coming year we will be repeating our successful series of LGBTQ best practices trainings (LGBTQ 101, LGBTQ Youth and LGBTQ Seniors) for organizations, non-profits, health/mental health/wellness professionals, educators, community leaders and others who would like to learn how to be more welcoming and inclusive. Cost is free, materials and snacks are provided. The workshops are open to anyone located anywhere in the Valley. To be notified when we release our calendar of upcoming trainings, join our mailing list, below.
Napa LGBTQ Community Forum - Oct 11, 2011
What an incredible event: for the first time ever, the most diverse gathering of LGBTQ people (and straight allies) from across ages, races, identities and the length of the Napa Valley gathered together for an important conversation and sharing of our experiences of living as LGBTQ in the Napa Valley--that will ultimately guide the direction of our work in support of our Valley's LGBTQ people.Read the event summary of what happened and what's next, here.
To get on our mailing list and be informed of events like these and more, click here:
For any questions, please contact Ian Stanley, Program Director: 707-251-9432 or ian.voices@gmail.com
Focusing Our Work
Strategies for Prevention & Early Intervention (PEI)
- A. Strengthening Individual Knowledge & Skills: Enhancing an individual's capability of preventing injury or illness and promoting safety
- B. Promoting Community Education: Reaching groups of people with information and resources to promote health and safety
- C. Educating Providers: Informing providers who will transmit skills and knowledge to others
- D. Fostering Coalitions and Networks: Convening groups and individuals for broader goals and greater impact
- E. Changing Organizational Practices: Adopting regulations and shaping norms to improve health and safety
- F. Influencing Policy & Legislation: Developing strategies to change laws and policies to influence outcomes
Adapted from preventioninstitute.org
Engaging our community: through a representative Advisory Committee, community forums and a countywide needs assessment. The Project increases awareness and involves community members in identifying needs, prioritizing and implementing action steps.
Developing quality programming: by partnering with high school Gay Straight Alliances throughout Napa County, offering LGBTQ youth support groups twice per month and providing an LGBT Older adult discussion group; the Project directly supports the most underserved—youth, and senior citizens.
Training health and service providers: through workshops, action planning and technical assistance in areas such as data collection and best practices. The Project deepens the awareness and skills of professionals working with LGBTQ people in community organizations, schools, health services, churches, government, and business.
The Napa LGBTQ Project is a collaboration of On The Move and Spectrum LGBT Center of the North Bay with funding from the Napa County Mental Health Division's Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Component. Best Practices workshop courses meet the qualifications for hours of continuing education credit for MFTs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Provider number 4598. Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP15508, for contact hours.
