CSW Affirms the Sonoma County LGBTQIA+ Community

On July 13, 2023, the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women voted unanimously to affirm the Sonoma County LGBTQIA+ community in response to overt anti-LGBTQIA+ bias, transphobia, and homophobia have been present in Sonoma County. It has been seen as recently as June 10th, 2023 with the “straight pride” vandalism across downtown Santa Rosa that targeted queer-owned businesses, businesses that are LGBTQIA+ safe spaces, and educational institutions.

Manifestations of homophobia and transphobia like this have been proven to increase anxiety, clinical depression, suicidality, and other forms of self-harm among LGBTQIA+ youth across the country.

In response to this overt hate and violence, the Commission wanted to support and uplift local organizations like LandPaths, LGBTQ Connection, Positive Images, and TransLife that create safe spaces such as clubs, meetings, and camps for LGBTQIA+ youth. The Commission voted unanimously to donate a total of $1000 to these organizations. These spaces have a significant positive impact on the mental and physical health of these youth at a time when mental health issues are at an all-time high.

One organization receiving $250 is LandPaths, an environmental education and conservation leader with the mission to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County. Landpaths hosts outings, volunteer land stewardship opportunities, and youth summer camps out in nature across Sonoma County with bilingual programming across the board in English and Spanish. Their summer camps include Camp Trillium, a summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth and allies, and Paddle with Pride, a summer paddling trek for LGBTQIA+ teens and allies.

Another organization receiving $250 is LGBTQ Connection, a program of the nonprofit On the Move. In Napa and Sonoma Counties the program operates local LGBTQIA+ community centers, supporting underserved LGBTQ youth and elders, and runs Youth Leadership Teams to empower queer and trans youth to learn how to be a part of a team and serve their communities as leaders.

The third organization receiving $250 is Positive Images (PI), an LGBTQIA+ Community Center that provides support to Sonoma County’s LGBTQIA+ population, with an emphasis on identities and individuals at the margins. PI provides direct services, advocacy, and education and provides weekly support groups, summer camps (including Camp Trillium and Paddle with Pride), and education in schools to support LGBTQIA+ youth in Sonoma County.

The final organization receiving $250 is TRANSLIFE, which is able to collect donations through its sponsorship by Positive Images. TRANSLIFE hosts two annual conferences, the Community Conference and the Professional Symposium. The first event brings together transgender and gender-expansive people to increase connections, share information, and expand individual self-advocacy and knowledge while the symposium brings together medical, mental/behavioral health, legal, and educational professionals to learn about the unique needs, challenges, and cultural competencies necessary to provide sensitive and appropriate care to the transgender/gender-expansive community.

All four organizations are able to accept tax deductible donations and you can learn more about all four of them on their websites, Facebook pages, and Instagram accounts.

Visit https://sococsw.org/ to learn more about the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women.

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Media Contact: 
Commission Chair Caitlin Quinn
(707) 318-4561
theCaitlinQuinn@gmail.com