Aging

CALLING TRANSMASC PERFORMERS/ARTISTS!

by
Transmasc Open Mic

We are seeking transmasculine folx to perform at the DCAVP Transmasc Voices Against Violence open mic event, May 29, 6:45-9PM. See the FULL EVENT DEETS HERE.

Theme: The topic is Transmasculine Survivors of Violence & Abuse. This event is a registration-only Zoom event, to be able to hold intimate space where transmasculine folx can speak up/out about their experiences of violence and abuse including those that may have happened pre-transition — a timeline that many transmasculine folx do not share openly for reasons of stealth, privacy and/or danger.

3-5 minute slots. The mic will be open after the first 5 performers for anyone interested — pre-event and during-event sign up list will be 1st come 1st served for the remaining time.

5-7 minute slots: We would like to have a small line-up of experienced performers to help set the stage as a place for authenticity and courage. If you are an experienced performer interested in one of the 5-7 minute slots on stage, please contact us. We will offer a $50 honorarium/each for 5 transmasculine-identified performers.

ASL interpreters provided.

 

 

DC Center – Closed Effective 3/16/20

by
Image of the Coronavirus and the works COVID-19

Taking guidance and recommendations about social distancing from the DC government and the CDC, effective Monday, March 16th, The DC Center for the LGBT Community’s office will be closed. Staff are still working remotely, and will be checking emails and voicemails multiple times each day. Please reach out to supportdesk@thedccenter.org to connect with the DC Center, as we are still able to provide services and support.

If you are interested in attending support groups remotely, please reach out to your facilitator or supportdesk@thedccenter.org and we can provide options for remote meetings using conference lines.

The situation is changing rapidly, please refer to the CDC’s website and coronavirus.dc.gov for up-to-date information on what you can do to help prevent and slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

The DC Center team will be meeting regularly to assess the situation and rest assured that we will open as soon as it is safe to do so, as we know that many of our clients and participants are vulnerable and will need support. If you are able, please consider donating and supporting organizations that provide food, medicine, and other support to marginalized populations. 

 

If you are facing a life threatening situation or seeking immediate care:

DC Mobile Crisis: 202-673-9300
DC Shelter Hotline: 202.399.7093 or 311
Maryland Mobile Crisis: 240-777-4000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
LGBTQ under 25: Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386
LGBTQ National Help Center (all ages – various lines/hours): 888-843-4564 www.glbthotline.org

 

UPDATE : DC LGBTQ Health and Wellness Festival

by
LGBTQ Health & Wellness Festival

*** Hello friends,
In order to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the DC Center is closed effective Monday, March 16th. To protect the health and safety of everyone we have decided to postpone our health and wellness festival, we will no longer have the event on March 28th , a new date will be decided in the future. Please consider how you can help delay the spread of coronavirus by consulting sites such as https://coronavirus.dc.gov/ for more information. ***

Due to unfortunate circumstances, we have been forced to reschedule our Wellness Expo. Join us on Saturday, March 28th for our first-ever DC LGBTQ Health and Wellness Expo.

Please click here for the updated event information, and if you have previously registered there’s no need to re-register. Thank you for your patience. If you have any questions please email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Job Opening at the DC Center : Social Worker/Therapist

by
Job Opportunity at the DC Center for the LGBT Community

The DC Center for the LGBT Community is hiring! We are looking for a full-time social worker/therapist. Bilingual in Spanish, a plus. See below for details.

Social Worker/Therapist Position:

The DC Center for the LGBT Community has a mission of educating, empowering, celebrating, and connecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of Washington, DC. The Social Worker/Therapist helps to achieve this mission by providing mental health support services to survivors of violence, crime, and trauma. These services are available free-of-charge to our community members due to grant funding from the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG). The Social Worker/Therapist will see clients individually and in group settings, as well as in a couples/collateral therapy capacity, if requested. The person who fills this position is also responsible for assisting on other related projects, such as quarterly reporting and management of the OVSJG grant, outreach and education in the LGBTQ community, and assisting the mission, vision, and values of The DC Anti-Violence Project (DC AVP). The Social Worker/Therapist will report to the Executive Director.

Special Skills:

The Social Worker/Therapist must have the appropriate licensure to practice in DC (LGSW or LICSW) and have at least 2 years’ experience working as a clinician with a diverse client population. They must also have a demonstrated ability to work with LGBTQ+ adults, to work well in a team, to problem solve and communicate at all levels verbally as well as in writing. Must be self-motivated and be able to build and maintain relationships, both with colleagues and with key stakeholders in the larger victim-serving network of Washington, DC. The ideal candidate will have prior nonprofit/grant management experience and is well adept at multitasking in a fast-paced environment. Bilingual capabilities are not required but strongly preferred.

Functions and Duties

Social Worker/Therapist: Responsibilities:

  • Provide individual, couples, and group mental health support services to a caseload of 25-35 unique clients
  • Conduct intake assessments with all new potential clients to assess safety, job status, financial resources, living arrangements, current support system, type and history of victimization, legal issues, related medical history, and clinical symptomatology for the past 30 days
  • Provide clients with LGBTQ-friendly and affirming referrals to community-based services, aimed at assisting individuals affected by crime, violence and trauma
  • Assess clients and provide necessary intervention in crisis situations (safety plans, hospitalization, referrals, etc.)
  • Keep current and accurate records of all clinical interactions in our clinical database system
  • Collaborate with DC Center staff to provide community-based education and outreach opportunities in line with OVSJG grant requirements
  • Provide data for quarterly reports and help manage grant deliverables for the OVSJG grant throughout the fiscal year
  • Deliver trauma-informed, culturally competent assessment and treatment techniques to all survivors seeking support services, and serve as a resource for all individuals seeking support through The DC Center
  • Work in partnership with The DC Anti-Violence Project members to further the mission, vision, and values of DC AVP
  • Work well with a diverse staff to facilitate an open, supportive and warm environment for all individuals who visit The DC Center

Please click here to apply

How To Access A Free Sexual Assault Exam In DC

by

If you’ve been sexually assaulted in the last 96 hrs, go to MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) at any time 24/7/365.

To ask a nurse or an advocate your questions first or to receive a free Uber ride to the hospital, call the DC Victim Hotline @1-844-4HELPDC .

For evidence collection (“rape kit”), in case you decide to report to police, try to avoid:

Showering, urinating or having a bowel movement, eating/drinking or smoking, chewing gum, douching, brushing teeth or changing clothes.

Arrive to MWHC , emergency department and let them know you are there for a SANE exam

You will be checked out by an ER physician first. Expect to be at the hospital for an average of 4.5 hours. You will have the opportunity to have all your questions answered by a nurse and an advocate before the exam begins.

If needed, receive free HIV/STD and pregnancy prevention medications

The nurse and physician will run some lab tests to make  sure it is safe for you to take these meds. You will also have the opportunity to follow up for more meds if possible. Please note that if you believe you were exposed to HIV, you will need to arrive at MWHC  72 hours or before to get HIV prevention treatment known as PEP. PEP is only effective in stopping HIV when taken 72 hours after exposure.

Decide whether or not to report to law enforcement

It is 100% your decision whether to report to the police or not. Your kit will be held for a minimum of one year. You may request for MWHC to hold your kit longer but you may have the right to report any time within the statute of limitation.

Rest and track you kit

You can visit a website to track your kit. Your kit will only be sent to the crime lab for testing if you decide to report to law enforcement, but MWHC can send it for toxicology testing if you’d like regardless of your reporting decision.

Receive ongoing support and connection to resources

If you choose , the advocate will continue to support you in any way that you need and connect you to basic , education, legal, and / or social services.

 

  Information sourced from 

 

 

 

ANC2F Supports DC Council Legislation for the LGBTQ Community

by
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

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

by
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

ANC1A Passes Resolutions Supporting LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV and Urges the DC Council Enact a Gay and Trans “Panic” Defense Ban

by
ANC 1A Kent Boese

At the July 10, 2019, meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A (ANC1A), the Commission considered two resolutions introduced by Commissioner Kent Boese and unanimously passed both measures critical to the needs and safety of the LGBTQ community.

B23-0037 – 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.

ANC1A also passed a measure requesting that the Secure A Fair and Equitable Trial Act of 2017 (ban on gay and trans “panic” defense bill) be reintroduced and passed by 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.

See Related Documents Below:

2019-07 – Letter of support for reintroducing the “Secure a Fair and Equitable Trial Act of 2017”

2019-07 – Letter of support for B23-0037 – Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV Amendment Act of 2019

 

 

5 Ways to Support LGBTQ Older Adults in the District

by
LGBTQ Older Adults

Center Aging recently held it’s April Advocacy Meeting and we were excited to be joined by Imani Woody of Mary’s House DC and ANC Rep. Mike Silverstein.  Now is a great time to stand up for LGBTQ Older Adults in the District.  Here are five steps you can take to help.

Join us at our next meeting.  Center Aging Advocacy meetings take place on the first Monday of every month at 12:30 PM.  We would love to have you join us for our next meeting on May 6th at at the DC Center.  We hope to see you there!

Testify at the Office of LGBTQ Affairs Budget Hearing.  The Budget Hearing for the Office of LGBTQ Affairs is on April 22nd (It was originally scheduled for April 11th but has been rescheduled).  Find out more about this meeting here.  LGBTQ organizations including Casa Ruby, Wanda Alston House, and the DC Center recently testified at the budget hearing for the office of LGBTQ Affairs calling for $3 million dollars to be added to the budget so that they can provide competitive grants to local organizations to support our community.   Priorities for this funding include seniors, youth, housing, the transgender community, and employment.  In addition, Mary’s House has called for office to receive 24 housing vouchers.

Volunteer your time.   Our Center Aging lunch for LGBTQ older adults takes place on the fourth Friday of every month!  We depend on support from the community to provide the meal and entertainment for this event.   As you may know, social isolation is a big issue for LGBTQ older adults, so providing these social events is important to their health and well being.  We are grateful to the ATT Employee Resource Group who recently paid for one of these meals, and for community members who have volunteered their time including Dan Carter, Fabián H. Ríos Rubino, and Adam Heller who have donated their time.  If you would like to provide lunch for our older adults please let us know.  You can learn more about this and other group volunteer activities for LGBTQ Older Adults at: thedccenter.org/groupvolunteering.

Testify at the Office of Aging Budget Hearing.  The Budget Hearing for the Office of Aging is April 25th.  We were excited to hear at our recent meeting that the ANC Rainbow Caucus plans to testify at this hearing in support of housing programs for LGBTQ Older Adults (among other issues).  While the Office of Aging does not deal with housing directly, they have an important role to play in this issue.  This is an excellent opportunity to share the experiences of LGBTQ older adults.  Find out more about this meeting and sign up to testify.

Make a donation.  Consider supporting an organization that works to support LGBTQ older adults.

 

 

Councilmember Trayon White Calls for Funds for LGBTQ Youth & Senior Housing

by

Councimember Trayon White (Ward 8) has submitted budget FY 2020 Budget Requests to Mayor Muriel Bowser and they include funding for LGBTQ Youth & Senior Housing.

The Budget request includes $500,000 for grants to non-profits through DHCD to support organizations that are working to provide housing security to LGBT seniors and homeless youth.

Councilmember White stated in his announcement: “As I fight to keep the above mentioned initiatives a priority in the final FY20 budget, I encourage you to testify at the upcoming public hearings and participate in the process. It is a pleasure to serve the residents of Ward 8.”

See all the recommendations below.

Trayon White Budget Reccomendations
Trayon White Budget Recommendations