The LGBT Center OC Blog - Page 5 of 6

Alien She: Feminism meets Punk Rock Art in Orange County

Alien She: Feminism meets Punk Rock Art in Orange County The LGBTQ Center OC is proud to be a part of Alien She, the first exhibit to highlight the lasting impact of the Riot Grrrl pioneering punk movement. This exhibit presented by the Orange County Museum of Art includes sculptures, photographs, self-published zines, and hand-designed posters and includes work from Ginger Brooks Takahashi, Tammy Rae Carland, Miranda July, Faythe Levine, Allyson Mitchell, L.J. Roberts, and Stephanie Syjuco. Each are represented by several projects from the last 20 years. Join in on discovering the 1990's movement against sexism, racism, and homophobia in the punk scene and the culture at large. Opening Day is February 15th and attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the curators and meet the artists. Visitors can participate in workshops to learn silk-screening techniques and play musical tunes led by local Riot Grrrl Chapters. The LGBTQ Center [...]

The State of LGBTQ California

Executive Director Kevin O'Grady and Youth and Advocacy Laura Kanter in Sacramento working to secure LGBTQQ equality. The State of LGBTQQ California I've been asked a lot lately, “why do we need a Center now we can get married?” and “now we’re equal what does the LGBTQQ movement have left to do?” Achieving marriage equality was a historic gain, but it has created a false feeling of safety and equality. We fought so hard for marriage equality, for so long, and with such intensity that we have lost sight of the wide range of issues impacting our community. Across a broad range of health and social measures: homelessness, hunger, poverty, disease, arrest, unemployment, drug use, smoking, suicide, cancer, HIV/AIDS, obesity, our community experiences rates between three to ten times higher than the hetero community. We fought so hard for marriage equality, for so long, and with such intensity that [...]

Wells Fargo continues its tradition of support for the LGBT Center OC

Wells Fargo continues its tradition of support for the LGBTQ Center OC Members of the LGBTQ Center OC board of directors accepting a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. The grant was awarded to support general programs that benefit the LGBTQ community of Orange County. Wells Fargo foundation has been a generous and consistent supporter of the LGBTQ Center OC for over the years. In addition to its fiscal support of the life affirming programs offered by the LGBTQ Center OC, Wells Fargo Foundation makes available to our organization one of its own. Scott O’Donnell, project manager for Wells Fargo Foundations sits on our Board of Directors and is an active member of our Special Events Committee. For 43 years, the LGBTQ Center OC has been advocating on behalf of the Orange County LGBTQ community, working to ensure its well-being through a wide variety of programs. In 2014 the LGBTQ [...]

Arrest made in 25-year old murder cold case of Santa Ana transgender woman

Arrest made in the murder of Transgender Santa Ana resident Carla Salazar 25 years after her death Santa Ana, CA-- On Thursday, December 09, 2014 the Santa Ana police department made an arrest in the cold case of Carla Salazar, a Santa Ana transgender woman that took place in the summer of 1989. Carla Salazar was found stabbed to death in her Santa Ana apartment; the case remained cold until DNA evidence linked the suspect to the scene of the crime. This arrest is the first by the newly formed Orange County Cold Case Homicide Task Force. Details surrounding the case have not been released and it still remains unclear if the murder was related to the victim’s gender identity. Tony Viramontes, Director of Prevention Services at the LGBTQ Center OC said, “If yesterday were today in terms of transgender community visibility, support and advocacy, I feel that this case would not [...]

Johnson Family Foundation awards Mental Health Grant

LGBTQ CENTER OC RECEIVES GRANTS FROM THE JOHNSON FAMILY FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS The Johnson Family Foundation has announced that the following LGBTQ Community Centers have each been awarded a grant dedicated to increasing the variety and quality of mental health services they provide: Affirmations Ferndale, MI The Attic Youth Center Philadelphia, PA The LGBTQQ Center of Long Beach Long Beach, CA The LGBTQ Center Orange [...]

Young Professionals Council Member Spotlight- December

Young Professionals Council's December's Featured Community Partner Charlie Schloredt EZ Swipe, Owner Education: Bachelor’s of Science, Chapman University About Charlie: As Owner of EZ Swipe, Charlie Schloredt gets satisfaction from interacting with business owners and being able to provide them with simplified, convenient, and consistent payment service technologies and equipment. Beginning his career in merchant services in 2008, Charlie found his passion in the payments industry while working for his father’s company, Card Solutions, based in Seattle, Washington, programing and installing terminals while still in high school. It was during his second year of college at Chapman University that Charlie decided he wanted to start his own company, founding EZ Swipe in 2012, and expanding their operations into Southern California. Charlie received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Chapman in 2014, a full year earlier than expected. Today, Charlie enjoys helping and working with a [...]

Grand Re-Opening of the David Bohnett Cyber Center

The LGBTQ Center OC is pushing forward and expanding tech access with the Grand Re-Opening of the David Bohnett Cyber Center. Internet access has become more of a necessity than a luxury as its use has grown exponentially. It has flushed into every aspect of our lives both professionally and personally, and this growth has created a digital divide for those without internet access. Thanks to the David Bohnett Foundation the LGBTQ Center OC will be receiving ten all new IBM Lenovo computers fully equipped with Microsoft Office. With job opportunities and crucial aspects of our socia l lives depending more heavily on the web every day the LGBTQ Center OC is proud to offer a newly refreshed cyber center to the LGBTQ community of Orange County. “The David Bohnett Cyber Center continues to be a tremendous asset and resource to the LGBTQ Center OC and the people we serve,” At the re-opening of The David Bohnett Cyber Center [...]

Young Professionals Council Member Spotlight

Young Professionals Council's November's Featured Community Partner Meagan Truglio Freelance Online Marketing Consultant, Food Photographer, Web Designer Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management with Focus in Marketing from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA About Meagan: Meagan is a Northern California transplant from the San Joaquin Valley. After leaving her position in a corporate setting, Meagan reassessed her priorities and began working with an independent filmmaker as a production assistant and assistant editor. A producer on one of her projects requested her help on a website for a new film, and it changed the direction of her career entirely. Stepping out of her comfort zone and teaching herself how to write code, Meagan successfully built her first website. Now just over a year later, Meagan has several clients across three countries and more international relationships pending. Meagan feels that working as a freelance consultant allows her the opportunity to [...]

Transgender Day of Remembrance – Orange County

LGBTQ Center OC to honor and celebrate Transgender History in Orange County Santa Ana, CA- The LGBTQ Center OC and transgender community groups celebrate Orange County transgender lives and history with a week of activities beginning on Friday, November 14th through Thursday, November 20th. The activities include Transgender Day of Remembrance and the launch of Trans*itions, Orange County’s first and only comprehensive transgender health and wellness program. Orange County’s rich transgender history dates back to the early 1950’s, when Orange County resident Christine Jorgensen became nationally known by undergoing gender reassignment surgery. She endured years of torment and was lauded as an early pioneer of transgender awareness. Transgender Awareness Week will kick off on Friday, November 14th at 12:00pm with the launch and ribbon cutting ceremony for Trans*itions Transgender Health and Wellness Program at the LGBTQ Center OC, 1605 N. Spurgeon St., Santa Ana, CA 92701. This ground breaking program [...]

The LGBT Center OC Condemns Anti-LGBT Assembly Candidate

The LGBTQ Center OC Condemns Assembly Candidate Young Kim’s Dishonest and Bigoted Anti-Transgender Youth Ads (Santa Ana) The LGBTQ Center OC calls on California Assembly candidate Young Kim to immediately pull from circulation, bigoted and dishonest campaign advertisements targeting transgender students. Kim’s opponent Sharon Quirk-Silva took a courageous vote when she supported the School Success and Opportunity Act because as a former public schoolteacher of 27 years, she knew it was the right thing to do. The Act reinforces already existing protections by creating processes that safely allow transgender students to participate in their education and use school facilities congruent with their gender identity. Kim has used the legislation as a wedge issue, and repeatedly lied about the true intent of the bill. She has misrepresented its purpose, and stocked anti-LGBTQ feelings specifically targeting kids. LGBTQ Center OC Executive Director Kevin O’Grady, Ed.D., said “Young Kim should be [...]