max disposti
Building community means building connections between
people; it means having a sense that you are not alone and are
dr. delores jacobs
community, the connections are connections between people, person to person. Building these connections is a large part of what has accelerated familial and social acceptance, it’s a part of what has educated people, changed hearts and changed minds so rapidly across the last two decades. Opining further, Jacobs went on to say, “Com- munity Centers also build community skills and resources. The LGBTQ community contains an incredibly diverse set of creative skills and talents. Access to those skills and that talent can open enormous possibility in an individual life and for the community as a whole. Whether it is having access to culturally competent healthcare, culturally appreciative work environments, or just an opportunity to know which schools support and encourage LGBTQ community members, access to information and access to compassionate services matters.” Max Disposti, Executive Director for the
North County LGBTQ Resource Center, answered this way to the same question. “The role of being a community catalyzer where resources, referrals, but also leadership and advocacy are forged and organized is still true today. It is where community is made and where hearts and minds
instead a part of a growing, vital diverse group of people who you belong to and are a part of.”
meet and change. Nowadays, LGBTQI Centers around the nation work every day with the most under-served and invisible populations and they are the place where these stories are told and where history is made.” The LGBT Community Center of the Desert,
Palm Springs’ CEO Mike Thompson chimed in next with his ideas. “LGBT Centers across the country act as the hub and heart of our community. As new technologies make it easier for us to connect behind a screen, Centers serve the important role of turning that online connection into offline friendship and nourishment. Aside from connect- ing community members to each other, LGBT Centers are often the first place residents turn to for resources and help. LGBT Centers are crucial for supporting and enhancing the lives of LGBTQ folks in their physical communities, leading to their increased well-being as individuals.” The next question was about what they felt
the most pressing issues they as leaders and The Center’s they captain are facing in today’s world. CEOMike Thompson continued with his answer first. “The current political climate and administra- tion have many in our community living in fear: Fear of deportation and violence, fear of losing
mike thompson
healthcare and the safety net that so many of us rely on. In many ways, the issues our community face are a mirror to what the rest of the country faces over the next several years. For those who live on the margins, whether because of class, race, gender identity, or socioeconomic status, anxiety is at an all-time high.” He spoke to a specific portion of our community that is often underrepresented, “There is a possibility that the many gains our LGB family has made will stop short for our Trans and gender non-conforming loved ones. Civil rights for and societal understanding and acceptance of transgender individuals and those who live outside the gender binary are extremely pressing for our community. Finally, mental health issues like suicide and substance abuse for our community are crucial. Despite advancements and gains in rights, isolation, depression, and bullying have lasting effects on our well-being and health.” Delores Jacobs had a powerful response to the
same question, “One of the most pressing issues in our diverse LGBTQ community today is born out of our greatest strength…Our diversity. The very thing that makes us a rich fabric of different talents, perspectives and needs—differences in race, ethnicities, culture, gender and gender identities, etc.—continues to divide our community and dilute our collective power.” “Too often,” she continued, “lacking a clear or
deep understanding of the accompanying differ- ences in perspective, priorities, access to resources and access to safety, dignity and fair treatment
JUNE 2017 | RAGE monthly
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