DavidMariner

Statement from the DC Center Board of Directors

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Update 11/3/19:

 

 

The DC Center Board of Directors have released the following statement on the search for a new Executive Director.

 

 

Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback on our search for a new Executive Director. Because community input is a crucial part of this process, we are launching a survey to get additional feedback from all of you. We would really appreciate your participation in this survey, as we will use the results to inform the selection criteria and interview questions for Executive Director candidates. Please share with your friends and across your networks. We would like to hear from as many members of the community as possible.

 

The job description for the Executive Director is posted here. We look forward to receiving your applications and encourage you to share the job posting widely!

 

To apply, please submit a brief cover letter, including salary expectations, résumé, and references as attachments via e-mail to:  careers@lgbtcenters.orgwith Subject Line:  DC Center ED Search

 

If you have any questions or comments please fill out our survey or contact the Board of Directors at jobs@thedccenter.org.

 

Update 9/10/19:

 

The DC Center Board of Directors have released the following statement on the search for a new Executive Director.

 

We are currently interviewing candidates for the Interim Executive Director position and we are also very excited to embark on the next stage in the DC Center’s history. Choosing an Executive Director who will lead us into the future, helping the Center and our community to grow and flourish, is an important task — one that we do not take lightly. For this reason, we have engaged CenterLink to assist in managing the search process.

CenterLink is an organization, founded more than twenty years ago, that supports the development of strong, sustainable LGBT community centers. The DC Center has been a member of CenterLink for many years, our Board members and staff have attended their conferences, and we have long found their resources to be very helpful. CenterLink has significant experience assisting with recruiting leaders for LGBT centers, and we are certain that they will be an invaluable asset as we begin our search.

Please send any comments or questions on the process to jobs@thedccenter.org.

8/27/19

 

The DC Center Board of Directors have released the following statement on the departure of David Mariner as Executive Director.

 

David has worked incredibly hard on behalf of the DC LGBT community and specifically The DC Center for over a decade and we will always be grateful for the blood, sweat, and tears he has poured into the Center to get it to where it is today. He has been a strong leader and activist for LGBTQ rights in the DC community and has demonstrated unwavering dedication to ensuring  our community receives the support and resources needed to thrive. His hard work has laid an incredible foundation for us to build upon. We look forward to seeing him continue to do amazing things at Camp Rehoboth and we wish him the best of luck in all of his endeavors. We know he will continue to be a strong advocate for our fight for equality.

We are looking forward to leading the DC Center for the LGBT Community as we embark on this new chapter in its history. We understand the importance of the perspective the wider community can offer in our search for the next Executive Director of the Center and welcome your ideas and suggestions as we begin the selection process. Please reach out to jobs@thedccenter.org to share your thoughts with us!

The DC Center Board of Directors

ANC2F Supports DC Council Legislation for the LGBTQ Community

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ANC2F

On Thursday August 15th, 2019, meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A (ANC2F), the Commission considered two resolutions introduced by Commissioner John Fanning in support of the LGBTQ Community.  Both measures passed unanimously.  Similar resolutions were passed by ANC1A (see related article),

The Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV Amendment Act of 2019 – was recently intruded by Councilmembers Anita Bonds and Mary Cheh. As introduced, the bill includes LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV in the definition of groups of greatest social need for the purpose of allocating funds. It also establishes an LGBTQ HIV long-term care bill of rights. While ANC1A believes there is much more that needs to be done to support our seniors and LGBTQ community, the Commission believes this bill is an excellent start.

Learn more about this legislation and sign the petition here.

ANC2F also passed a measure in support of the  Secure A Fair and Equitable Trial Act of (ban on gay and trans “panic” defense bill) which will soon be re-introduced in the DC Council.  The bill was previously introduced in Council session 22 but died in the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. The failure to move this important legislation in one of the most progressive cities in the United States, and the city with the highest population of LGBTQ residents in the country, is both disappointing and unacceptable.

As introduced, the Secure A Fair and Equitable Trial Act of 2017 would required that upon the request of either the prosecutor or the defendant, the court would instruct the jury against letting bias, sympathy, prejudice, or public opinion influence its decision. It also would establish limits on defenses that seek to excuse violence on the basis of a victim’s identity.

Learn more about this legislation and sign the petition here.

This act will be introduced in memory of Tony Hunter and Bella Evangelista.

See Related Documents Below:

ANC 2F Support for The Secure a Fair and Equitable Trial Act of 2017

ANC 2F Support for B23-0037- Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV Amendment Act of 2019

Saying Goodbye to the DC Center for the LGBT Community

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David Mariner

Dear Friends

In 1999, the Cherry Fund and Whitman Walker Clinic formed an Ad Hoc Committee to create an LGBT Community Center in the District. That vision became a reality when theDC Center for the LGBT Community was incorporated in 2004 with signatories Patrick Menasco, Jeff Englar, Larry Stansbury, and Ed Craft.

As we celebrate our 15th Anniversary this year, I hope we all take time to celebrate the many visionary board members, staff, volunteers, and community partners who have brought us to this point, including our past board chairs Michael Sessa and Michael Fowler, and our current board co-chairs Rehana Mohammed and Jonathan Gilad.

2019 also marks my 11th and final year at the DC Center.   September 30th will be my last day serving as Executive Director of this remarkable organization.  While I look forward to the opportunities in my future, the DC Center will always hold a very special place in my heart.

I will spend my remaining time here assuring a smooth and strategic transition.   2020 will be a year of growth for the DC Center with a significant increase in grant funding. This includes a groundbreaking grant from DC Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL).   This grant, which will help us better serve older LGBTQ adults, is the first grant ever given by DACL to an LGBT organization.

I am grateful to be able to leave the DC Center in the hands of very capable board members and staff,   It is the right time to make way for new leadership, ideas, and vision.   I look forward to seeing where we go from here.

Please make plans to join me at the DC Center Fall Reception on Friday September 13th at the Warner Building celebrate our 15th Anniversary.   Purchase your tickets now at: thedccenter.org/events/fifteen

Best Regards,

David Mariner

2019 Youth Count

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Youth Count

Every year, The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (TCP) together with the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Youth Subcommittee of the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness (DCICH) plans and conducts the Homeless Youth Census (HYC) – or “Youth Count DC” – in an effort to better understand the scope and scale of homelessness and housing instability among youth living in the District. The 2019 Youth Count DC will take place from September 20th to September 28th, 2019. The information collected in this nine-day survey event creates an annual “snapshot” of the number of youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability that aids District policy-makers and funders in making smarter, data-driven decisions about resource allocation and helps us track progress toward the District’s strategic plan to end youth homelessness.  One important piece of this is understanding how many youth experiencing homelessness are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.

The DC Center will once again be participating in the survey.  Youth experiencing homelessness that are visiting the center between September 20th and September 28th will be invited to complete a survey and receive a (TBD) incentive.

Important Information about Youth Count DC:

  • As the name suggests, Youth Count DC will focus solely on unaccompanied individuals and heads of family households who are age 24 and under;
  • In addition to “literally homeless” youth – youth who are experiencing homelessness while in shelter, transitional housing or living on the street – it also includes young people who are living in unstable housing arrangements (e.g. in doubled-up situations or “couch surfing”);
  • It is conducted through partnering organizations that administer surveys with youth who are encountered: 1) in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs; 2) on-site at places that youth frequent (including meal programs, after-school programs, drop-in centers, etc.); and 3) with street-based homeless outreach teams.

What you need to know to prepare:

If f you have never participated and want to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact me [Elisabeth Young] at EYoung@community-partnership.org.

More information will be shared here as it becomes available.

 

Employment Opportunities at Whitman Walker Health

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Whitman Walker Health

Whitman Walker is currently hiring for two Public Benefits and insurance navigator positions.  Navigators help WWH patients and DC residents with health insurance eligibility, enrollment, and literacy – connecting people to Medicaid, Medicare, Qualified Health Plans on the exchange, subsidies, and other insurance opportunities. Navigators become trained experts in both technical content and client counseling and navigation skills. While the navigators will be trained and supervised by the Legal Services program, they are part of a specialized Insurance Navigation Team that, since 2007, has worked closely with reception and billing staff as well as medical, behavioral, and dental staff to ensure health insurance coverage for our patients. Navigators have been on the front lines of implementation of health reform as certified DC Health Link Assisters and providing critical consumer outreach and enrollment assistance to uninsured and under-insured DC residents.

For more information, follow these links below

About Whitman-Walker Health

Whitman-Walker envisions a society where all persons are seen for who they are, treated with dignity and respect, and afforded equal opportunity to health and wellbeing. Through care, advocacy, research, and education, we empower all persons to live healthy, love openly, and achieve equality and inclusion. For over 40 years, we have been meeting the needs of our communities with the endless dedication of our diverse teams.

 

DesiQ Diaspora Call For Proposals

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Desi Queer Diaspora

NQAPIA is currently accepting proposals for Desi Queer Diaspora (DQD) 2020, to be held in Austin, Texas from May 15-17, 2020. Proposals will be accepted from August 12, 2019 until December 1st, 2019 at 11:59pm EST. Late proposals may be considered at the discretion of the DQD planning committee.

The term proposals references everything from discussion circles, movie showings, workshops, presentations, classes, panels  and much more. Proposals may address a wide variety of topics, and we welcome proposals from anyone who identifies as queer and/or tgnc and traces their family ancestry to South Asia and the diaspora. As you develop your proposal, please keep in mind that sessions will be 90 minutes.

Proposals will be reviewed by a team of DQD steering committee members and members of the conference proposal review committee. As we review proposals, we are committed to developing a conference schedule that covers a wide variety of interest to the community, as reflected in our community survey as well as session presenters that are representative of our community across class, caste, country of origin, religion, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, and sexual orientation. NQAPIA also plan to organize specific panels to represent and reflect on the diversity of our community.

NQAPIA will let you know whether your proposal was accepted (or not) by February 1st, 2020. We will be accepting 27 workshops total. We ask that you accept the offer to present at the conference by February 15th, 2020. If you present at the conference, we will offer free registration. Note that for each session, there is a maximum of two presenters. If your proposal is not initially accepted, you may be placed on a waitlist and eventually be asked to present if other presenters drop out.

Find out more at: desiqdiaspora.org

LGBTQ Community Centers #PutPatientsFirst

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LGBT Community Center Report

August 14th marks the end of the comment period on the new rules proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that will jeopardize the health and well-being of vulnerable populations such as the LGBTQ community. The proposed regulation focuses on Section 1557 of the Health Care Rights Law, a part of the Affordable Care Act that bans gender discrimination. The proposal would erase all reference to protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, sex stereotyping, and gender identity.

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers strongly opposes the newly proposed regulation, and, working with a coalition of national, state and local organizations, has generated over 132,400 comments to HHS in opposition to the new rules.
“LGBTQ community centers provide services and referral resources daily to thousands of individuals across our country,” said Lora L. Tucker, CEO of CenterLink. “Centers and their constituents have loudly spoken out against the new HHS rules. The rules promote discrimination and will harm many in our community who need access to basic care.”

Proposing a rule that would gut the Health Care Rights Law is the latest of many attempts the Trump-Pence Administration has made to undermine and threaten access to healthcare to those who need it most.

A patient’s health should always come first. CenterLink and the 250+ LGBTQ community centers who belong to our network will continue to advocate for patients who are medically underserved and help to ensure that the LGBTQ community has access to health care that is free from discrimination or bias.

Whitman Walker Supports the LGBT Older Americans and Older People Living with HIV Act

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Whitman Walker Health

Whitman-Walker has issued a statement of support for DC Bill 23-0037, the Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors Living with HIV Amendment Act of 2019.  The legislation would requires the DC Office on Aging & Community Living (DACL) and Commission on Aging to include LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors Living with HIV as group of greatest social need under the Older Americans Act. In addition, the bill would amend the Human Rights Act of 1977 to establish and LGBTQ HIV long-term care bill or rights.

The statement was released in July and states in part: “The Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV Amendment Act, Bill 23-37, is a major step forward in addressing the unique and compelling needs of these DC residents. We congratulate Councilmembers Cheh, Bonds, Nadeau, Gray, T. White, Allen, McDuffie, Todd, Silverman, and R. White for introducing the bill, and Councilmembers Grosso and Evans for co-sponsoring this important legislation. ”

Read the complete statement from Whitman Walker below:

Whitman Walker Health Statement of Support for 23-0037

Sign the online petition to support this legislation using the link below:

DC Council: Take Action to Support LGBTQ Older Adults and Long Term Survivors of HIV

PrEP Study for Black Men

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PrEP Study for Black Men

The Sexuality & Health Equity Lab at the George Washington University is currently recruiting trial participants for a survey study about PrEP advertising that we are conducting with Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Washington, DC metro area.

The study involves completing two 20-minute surveys and receiving a weekly email for 8 weeks, for which respondents will earn two $10 Amazon gift cards (one for each survey) and be entered into a lottery to win $500 in cash. To be eligible, participants must be Black, HIV-negative, PrEP-inexperienced men who are sexually active with other men and reside in the DC metro area.

Download the study flyer below.

GW PrEP Study

LGBTQ Community-Researcher Networking Event Summary Report

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LGBTQ Community-Researcher Networking Event Summary Report
The George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center recently hosted a networking event to bring together researchers and sexual and gender minority community members. The goal of the event was to improve collaboration between researchers and community members, and to improve the relevance of LGBTQI+ research.
A summary report detailing the event as well as some next steps for building community engaged research is now available from the GW Cancer Center. As a part of the event, the GW Cancer Center also released several new tools to improve collaboration and facilitate community-based conversations around research.
Click the link below to download the report: