As we work together to achieve our vision, we have created a set of community agreements to define what we need and expect from each other in our Pride Center space. Following these agreements creates a place of warmth, healing, and security. Our goal is to ensure the Pride Center is accessible to all who wish to make it a second home. We want to share the love, joy, and resilience our community has to offer and treat each other with the respect and dignity we all deserve.
OUR COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS
These agreements are considered a living document and are subject to change when necessary.
We pride ourselves in being inclusive to the multiple identities and communities that come through our doors. We recognize our communities by using gender inclusive language and asking everyone what their pronouns are.
- Ex. They/Them/Theirs, She/Her/Hers, He/Him/His, Xe/Xim/Xyrs
- Hey y’all, where did Maria go? She/They/He/Xe went to the Pride Center.
- Instead of saying “Hey guys”, try instead “Hey all/folks/friends/humans”.
As a community, we encourage you to take space, participate and share, and intentionally make space for fellow community members to do the same. We all learn together when we give everyone the opportunity to express themselves.
We encourage folks to engage in a deeper understanding and learning about a variety of topics with an awareness of the different perspectives we all bring. When conflicting ideas do arise, we ask our community to acknowledge the discomfort, center our shared humanity, and agree to disagree.
We want to create a space where people feel safe to share experiences that may be personal. Instead of telling others about someone else’s experience, teach others about what you learned based on the experience.
Not everyone knows everything but together we know a lot. Take time to clarify ideas that may be new to some people, so we can grow as a community.
Our Pride Center is a substance and alcohol-free space.
Everyone’s boundaries are unique and need to be respected. Ask for consent before talking about a potentially triggering subject or touching someone else’s physical body (e.g., hugs, handshakes, etc.). We encourage you to speak to a staff member for support, if needed.
Inability to maintain personal accountability and continuous violations of community agreements may result in discussions with Pride Center staff to appropriately address any issues that arise.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
From ‘what’s jello made out of?’ to ‘what’s the meaning of life?’, everyone has questions. And while we’re obviously not equipped to answer every question, we feel confident that we can answer the questions about Pride Center. If your Pride Center question isn’t on the list below, feel free to give us a call.
Who is welcome at the San Mateo County Pride Center?
Community members, friends, allies, and advocates are all welcome at the Pride Center regardless of age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, religion or religious creed, ability, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Are “walk-ins” welcome?
Yes! We encourage individuals to come by for a tour, connect with staff, utilize our Resource Room (which includes a library and computers for use), or just hang out! Additionally, all of our support groups are ‘open’ groups, meaning anyone can choose to drop in.
Is the Pride Center an accessible / ADA accessible space?
The Pride Center has a wheelchair entrance accessible through the parking lot on 11th Avenue. There is one disabled parking space in that lot. Doors inside the Pride Center are not automatic. The main floor is accessible by wheelchair; however, the kitchen and conference room are located up a flight of six stairs. Both bathrooms have support bars.
For our community members with multiple chemical sensitivities, the Center is currently not a scent/fragrance-free space. We strive to be scent/fragrance-aware.
Does the Pride Center have gender inclusive restrooms?
Yes! The Pride Center has two gender inclusive restrooms. Both are single stall, equipped with support bars, and contain free menstrual products.
Do services cost money?
Our clinical counseling services do have fees. These fees are either covered by Medi-Cal or determined on a sliding scale based on gross combined income and number of dependents.
Most other events, programs, and activities (including peer support groups) that we offer are free of charge; however, in some instances we may ask for a suggested donation to help support the work we do.
Is the Pride Center accessible via public transportation?
Yes! We are one block from the ECR/397 Samtrans stop on El Camino Real and 12th Avenue, and 0.3 miles from the ECR/55 Samtrans stop on El Camino Real and 9th Avenue. We are also 0.7 miles from the Hayward Park Caltrain Station.
I’m interested in hosting an event at the Pride Center. Who do I contact?
Email us at [email protected] and we will contact you!
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