The LGBT Center OC Blog

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LGBTQ Center OC LGBTQ Center Orange County announces new Board Chair, Meagan Cooper, to lead the organization’s Board of Directors starting August 1, 2020.   SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA (July 31, 2020) – LGBTQ Center OC announced today the election of Meagan Cooper as their new Chair of its Board of Directors. Meagan succeeds Carl Jordan, who completed a successful 3-year term as the organization’s Chair. The announcement will be effective August 1, 2020.  “The Center does such important and amazing work and truly makes such a positive impact on lives in our community.” Cooper shares, “I am honored and thrilled to take on the leadership position of the Chair of the Board of The LGBTQ Center OC.  The Center does such important and amazing work and truly makes such a positive impact on lives in our community.  Having been involved with the Center in various capacities [...]

🚨 UPDATE Important correction: Correction it is in regard to SEC 3-5-501 THROUGH 503. *** There is a recent call to action by two councilmembers of the City of Irvine to repeal and remove an old anti-LGBTQ ordinance (Sec. 2-5-503) that was passed into law in 1989. The ordinance denies anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation. Melissa Fox writes about it in this blog post. The ordinance reads, “the City Council shall not enact any City policy, law or ordinance that: Defines sexual orientation as a fundamental human right. Uses sexual orientation, in whole or in part, as the basis for determining an unlawful discriminatory practice and/or establishes a penalty or civil remedy for such practice. Provides preferential treatment or affirmative action for any person on the basis of their sexual orientation.” Councilmembers Fox and Farrah Khan will call to remove the ordinance during the Tuesday, July 14 City Council meeting. We [...]

As we prepare to reopen, we wanted to share our policies regarding safety equipment and social distancing. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US Healthy team members- daily temperature checks. Clean Environment- work spaces and common areas disinfected daily. Social Distancing- No congregating in common areas. Protective Equipment- masks worn on Center's premises. Hand Sanitizer- Is readily available. WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU Please do not visit the Center if you are sick or have been sick in the last 14 days. Temperature checks - upon entering the premises you must have your temperature read with a no touch thermometer at the front desk.  Those with an elevated temperature will be asked to return home and will not be admitted. A mask must be worn at all times while visiting the Center. Gloves are available and encouraged. Social Distance- Please respect our social distance policy and keep a minimum of 6 feet between you and [...]

Today, the Supreme Court announced a huge victory for our community, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the workplace. Prior to today’s announcement, it was legal in more than half of the states to fire employees due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. With the exception of a handful of states there were no legal protections against  demotion or dismissal because of one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity up until now. This unprecedented decision will extend workplace protections for LGBTQ employees on a federal level. It is important to acknowledge that this victory arrives at a critical time, especially after the upsetting announcement last Friday from the Trump administration, which called for a regulation to end health care protections for transgender people. This victory also arrives after a time where many people have been impacted by COVID-19 and face inequities in the healthcare system—and [...]

We stand with you. The LGBTQ Center OC stands with the countless youth, students, parents, families, and community members who are advocating for justice for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Nina Pop, Tony McCade, and many others who have experienced oppression and systemic violence. We share our mourning and anger with the Orange County community, and with other communities and cities across the country who are using their voices and bodies to put an end to this senseless violence. We cannot forgive these injustices.  As a community, we must do better to ensure Black lives and voices are heard. We must do more to support and uplift this critical time and act. Intersectionality is a driving force in our community and programmatic work. In our commitment to racial equity and to continue our support for Black communities and communities of color, we are working to ensure that diverse [...]

Institutional racism cannot and will not be tolerated! The LGBTQ Center OC joined Equality California and over 110 other LGBTQ+ organizations in a unified statement against racial violence.  #blacklivesmatter HRC LETTER

The LGBTQ Center OC will partner with the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) and 11 colleague nonprofits on February 12 to host Love Is, a Giving Day in support of healthy teen relationships in Orange County. The 24-hour online effort aims to raise $135,000 for organizations with a shared commitment to empowering and educating Orange County teens. The Love Is campaign is part of a bold initiative by OCCF to enhance the capacity of local nonprofits through a series of Collaborative Giving Days that launched in 2018. Nonprofits with shared missions are invited to partner to boost collective giving for their causes. To give online during the Love Is Giving Day, please click here. For more information on the Collaborative Giving Days, visit oc-cf.org/iheartoc.

With your help, this past year has been a year of growth, lessons learned, and success. Help us to continue to advocate for those who have no voice, to provide a safe space to those who have nowhere to go, and to celebrate all the wins, big or small. By making your year end, tax deductible gift, you can help us continue making huge strides for the betterment of our community. Let's make 2020 bigger, better and bolder for us all! CLICK HERE TO HELP

During the holidays and every day, we are grateful for the resiliency and solidarity of our LGBTQ family. Our resiliency continues to be tested and our solidarity comes shining through each time we demand better for one another. Demanding better is precisely the work of the LGBTQ Center OC. To those who have left notes and voicemails thanking us for saving your life or the life of a loved one, we value you. To those who give graciously to financially support our programs, we honor you for making our life-saving work possible. Whether you are in need of a helping hand or in a position to assist others, you are part of what makes our community great. The LGBTQ Center OC serves more than 14,000 clients per year and is ushering in a new era of equity and understanding in Orange County. We simply cannot do this without you. Your tax deductible [...]