The Weight of Bearing Witness: A processing space for LGBTQ+ community members and our allies

The San Mateo County Pride Center acknowledges the difficulties of dealing with recent tragic events in Half Moon Bay, continual mass shootings, the ongoing pandemic, laws that don’t affirm us, and so much more. How do we hold these feelings? Where is our power to create change? Apathetic or angry? All of the above and everything in between? You are not alone. This space is being provided for you to determine how to use it. We are only reminding you that we are here.
On Friday, February 17, from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, the Pride Center will hold a virtual processing space for anyone who wishes to join us to talk through these complicated feelings or to simply be present with others in our community. Mental Health Clinicians will also be present as needed. We recognize that grief, sadness, and anger can be enough of a barrier and struggle, so we provide this space in a virtual format to ensure its accessibility. If you’re in need of an in-person space or have questions, you can contact Verna Barrientos, Pride Center Mental Health Clinician, at verna.barrientos@sanmateopride.org or 650-644-1632 (text is ok).
To register for this event, please click on here: tinyurl.com/smcpc-processgroup217
Palentines at the Parks

Palentines at the Parks: San Bruno Mountain History Tour
Spread the love for family, loved ones, friends, and community this month! On Saturday February 25th (9:30am arrival time with a 10am hiking start), let the love shine with an outdoor hike and guided history tour of the San Bruno mountains with the San Mateo County Parks Foundation, San Mateo County Pride Center, and Peninsula Family Service. Lunches will be provided! See below for information about accessibility options and COVID safety. For any questions or concerns regarding the event, please contact Adriana Arriaga at adriana@supportparks.org and Azisa Todd at azisa.todd@sanmateopride.org. For more information about the various parks San Mateo County has to offer, visit: https://supportparks.org. Register ASAP (SPACES ARE LIMITED!!) to receive more information leading up to our tour at registration form (https://tinyurl.com/PalentinesParks). Stay tuned for more information to come!
Accessibility Information: The history tour will be on the Saddle Loop trail and is approximately 1.5-2 miles on non-paved paths with 3 moderate inclines. There is only 1 main outdoor seating area at the base of the trail and approximately 4 (four) small benches along the trail. There are 2 (two) main bathrooms: one located across from the parking lot and the other by the Edward Bacciocco group area. There are no gender-neutral restrooms. The non-paved trail does not have shaded areas, thus participants are encouraged to bring hats, sunscreen, and/or umbrellas to avoid direct sunlight. More information about climate and weather will be provided as we get closer to the tour date.
COVID Safety Information: Because this will be an outdoor tour, masks are not required, but strongly recommended. Extra masks and hand sanitizer will be available for all.
About San Bruno Mountain: San Bruno Mountain State and County Park is a landmark of local and regional significance, standing as a unique open-space island in the midst of the peninsula’s urbanization at the northern end of the Santa Cruz Mountain Range. The Mountain’s ridge line runs in an east-west configuration, with considerable slopes and elevations ranging from 250 feet to 1,314 feet at the summit. The 2,416 acres of rugged landscape offer excellent hiking opportunities and outstanding views of San Francisco and the Central Bay Area. For more information about San Bruno Mountain and its history, visit: https://www.smcgov.org/parks/san-bruno-mountain-state-county-park.
LGBTQ Workplace Inclusion: Everything You Wanted to Know But Too Afraid to Ask
Thank you to everyone who attended this collaborative training created by Jennifer Brust, CEO of Sparta Business Solutions and the Pride Center. Participants learned how to make their Human Resources practices more LGBTQ+ inclusive through updated HR policies, procedures, and resources. Please click this link (or the button below) to access resources compiled by the Jennifer and the San Mateo County Pride Center.
Trans Talks-
MPox: Overview, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention & Local Resources
The Pride Center and Stanford LGBTQ+ Health Program co-host Trans Talks, a free, monthly workshop series that centers the health and wellness of our Transgender, Gender Diverse and Non-Binary community members. Community members are invited to ask questions on their health and wellness. Every month, a different professional from Stanford’s LGBTQ+ Health Program will share information, lead a discussion and answer your questions. This is a free workshop open to all community members.
In August, we discussed MPox: Overview, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention & Local Resources. This presentation covered general information about the virus, how it is transmitted, what the symptoms are, how it is treated, how it is prevented, the United States’s current public health response, and resources for how to find local services and vaccine information.
Please click this link to access a recording of the workshop: tinyurl.com/transtalkmonkeypox
Accessibility information:
The recording is in english and closed captioning is utilized.
To access recordings of other previous Trans Talks, please use this link: tinyurl.com/transtalks-recordings. All recordings utilize closed captioning. Previous workshops have included: Gender Affirming Surgery 101, Safer Sex & Gender Affirming Voice Therapy
If you have questions, need support or would like to suggest a topic please contact Sawye (she/her) at raygani@stanford.edu
The next Trans Talks is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 9/15 from 6:30-7:30 PM PST on Zoom.