Napa LGBTQ Project

Project News & Upcoming Events

Now Hiring: Napa LGBTQ Program Coordinator
We are looking to hire an inspiring facilitator, trainer and experienced program developer that excels in guiding teams of people (especially volunteers) to view themselves as leaders and accomplish goals in the context of a grass-roots, small-town, LGBTQ community organization. The ideal candidate for this position easily makes connections with people, motivating and inspiring them to achieve results and connect as a team. Poise and an engaging, empathetic communication style based on natural warmth and enthusiasm is the key to achieving the goals of this job.

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Degree in LGBTQ Studies, humanities or education—or significant professional experience in related fields. 2. Demonstrated experience working with, and developing leadership in, diverse communities (of age, race, gender, income, sexual-orientation, geography) 3. Exceptional oral and written communication skills 4. Collaborative approach to communication and decision-making 5. Proficiency in using computers, office machines and software 6. Desired, but not required qualifications: bilingual/bicultural in Spanish language, experience with public school system, demonstrated experience with a bridge-building approach to activism, familiarity with Napa County.

Please spread the word far and wide! We need exceptional candidates that can join in the amazing momentum and community building we have begun in the last two years. Download job posting for full details via this link. We are accepting applications through May 8, 2013 or until the position is filled.

We're becoming LGBTQ Connection
After years of using a temporary name, and months of talking about what really would represent the core of our work best--with involvement from a variety of community members, youth, and our Advisory Committee, we are excited to finally announce our new, official name. Formerly Napa LGBTQ Project (and even before that, The Valley's Other Fruit), we will now be LGBTQ Connection! We have updated our facebook (facebook.com/lgbtqnapa) and twitter (twitter.com/lgbtqnapa), and will soon launch our new website at www.lgbtqconnection.org so that everything is in line with our new name, look and feel. Let us know what you think: ian.voices@gmail.com.

We'd love to have Napa City Raise the Rainbow Flag in Napa!
After a brief but lively conversation on an April Tuesday night on the City of Napa's Facebook page, our Project's director, Ian Stanley, was encouraged to start a petition (his first!) to ask the City of Napa to raise the rainbow flag in visible support of our LGBTQ residents and visitors. Incredibly and in less than 24 hours, more than 500 people signed on with their support--Napa Valley Patch, the Napa Valley Register and KTVU/Channel 2 News featured the story. We're hoping it continues to spread like wildfire to friends, allies, neighbors and visitors. Can you imagine what a powerful, meaningful sign it would be to see the City of Napa fly the rainbow flag? Please sign and please spread the word via email, FB, twitter, or however you can think of creatively. Re-post the link, the pic...forward this message! It takes one minute to add your name: http://bit.ly/rainbowovernapa

LGBT Seniors Discussion Group - June 4, 2013
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 host 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. Group meetings take place on the 1st Tuesday of every month, from 10:30a - noon (with social time beginning 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 discrete 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 from May 2012.

Help us Spread the Word: Upcoming LGBTQ Best Practices Workshops for Providers
The best estimate of the number of LGBTQ people in Napa County is 11,000. Are you doing your best to reach and include them? 76% of providers surveyed in Napa County say that local organizations are not meeting the needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) people. During March and April, we will be hosting our (critically acclaimed) LGBTQ Best Practices workshops 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. Please help us to spread the word:

• 2nd Level Best Practices in Reaching LGBT Older Adults, April 25, 10a-12p

Cost is free, materials and snacks are provided. Space is limited, so those interested in attending should sign up (or get location information and other details) at http://napalgbtqproject.eventbrite.com. It's also possible by calling Brodie at 707-251-9432 if they are having problems signing up online. Click here to download sharable flyers about our LGBTQ 101, Intro to LGBT Aging and 2nd Level: Reaching LGBT Older Adults workhsops.

Q*Youth LGBTQ Youth Meeting @ VOICES - May 14 & 28, 2013
VOICES Youth Center (at 780 Lincoln Ave, Napa) in Napa co-hosts with us a twicemonthly 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. Meetings are from 5-6:30p on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month. Follow the group's Facebook page, here.

Napa County Candidates Repond: Making Napa safer, more welcoming and inclusive
In late October, we sent a message to all of the candidates for Napa County Board of Supervisors and any City Council or Mayoral position within the County of Napa. On Thursday, November 1 we posted all the responses we received--verbatim--about how the candidates feel about LGBTQ issues and their view of how local government might respond. True, LGBTQ issues aren't the only ones of importance, but how our local officals respond to (or ignore) them can critically affect the quality of life for thousands of LGBTQ people, their friends and loved ones that live, work or go to school here. To see how our candidates feel about the issues and what they might do to make our community safer, more welcoming and inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people, click here to visit our candidate responses page. After reviewing their responses, join in the conversation on Facebook with your reactions and comments.

2nd Annual Napa County LGBTQ Community Forum - Oct 11, 2012
On Thursday, October 11, 2012 we made history again at our 2nd Annual Napa County LGBTQ Community Forum. About 170 LGBTQ people and straight allies, of all ages and from all across Napa County came together to gather visibly as community, to showcase and celebrate our accomplishments since last year's forum, and to develop our joint vision for opening Napa County's 1st-ever Community Center! Read the Napa Register's front page coverage before the forum, here: "Forum to discuss future of LGBTQ facility". Click here to review the slideshow presented at the forum about the Napa LGBTQ Project's 1st year of accomplishments and preliminary survey results.

Safer Schools Initiative: Supporting Students, Families & Teachers
In March 2012, 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 in March, 2012. On Sunday, October 7, Ian and a student, Ynez, spoke w/ ABC 7's Cheryl Jenning's about their work to help students across Napa County feel safer and included at school. Go here to see the episode.

J.L. Sousa/Register

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.

Photo by Suzin Porter

1st 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.