The San Francisco Human Rights Commission will hold a community forum on inclusive comprehensive immigration reform Wednesday, May 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Latino/Hispanic Community Room at the main library, 100 Larkin Street.
Organizers said that the primary objective of the town hall meeting is to enable the public to better understand why it is critical that current comprehensive immigration reform proposals address the specific needs of the LGBT community.
"As the LGBT community and its allies continue to fight for unqualified equality on the federal level, this fight must also extend to demanding inclusive immigration reform if unfettered equal rights for the LGBT community are to be truly realized," stated Michael Pappas, a human rights commissioner and chair of the agency's LGBT advisory committee.
Scheduled panelists include Arcelia Hurtado, immigration policy adviser with the National Center for Lesbian Rights; Anoop Prasad, staff attorney with the Asian Law Caucus; the Reverend Richard Smith, vicar at Episcopal Church of Saint John the Evangelist; and Amy Lin, a student who's involved with the Chinese Progressive Association.
The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the HRC's LGBT advisory committee, Our Family Coalition, and Out4Immigration.
Town hall on gay suicides
Following several recent incidents of gay men who have died by suicide, the Community Initiative will hold a town hall meeting on the topic next week.
Titled "When the Rainbow Isn't Enough," the forum takes place Wednesday, May 29 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 385-A 8th Street (next door to Mr. S Leather).
Doug Sebesta with the Community Initiative said the meeting is about why so many gay men are still killing themselves and what the community can do about it. The session also will look at building resilience within the community.
Panelists will include Race Bannon, Michael Brandon, Blue Buddha, Veronika Fimbres, and Jorge Vieto Jr. Timothy Vollmer will moderate the meeting.
The event is open to everyone and all perspectives are welcome.
Class on job interview skills
If you are unemployed or underemployed a free program at the San Francisco Public Library might be for you. On Saturday, May 25 the library will host a class entitled "Successful Interviewing" from 10 a.m. to noon on the lower level of the main library, 100 Larkin Street.
The first step to landing a job is to know what you want and what you have to offer. The next step is to be able to express it in an interview. Participants will learn to interview with confidence.
Class topics will include how to get an interview with your top picks, building your self-esteem, finding out what employers want to see in an employee, having the right attitude, practicing interview questions (including the hard ones), and interview preparation.
The class will be presented by Mangala Meridian, who has a dual career as both a legal secretary and adult education instructor of vocational and job search skills.
It's a 'Hullabuzoo' at the zoo
Things will be hopping at the San Francisco Zoo this weekend as it offers Hullabuzoo, which combines several elements for family fun as well as animal conservation programs.
The program will include a performing circus group, an inflatable obstacle course, and a climbing wall. In between visits to the zoo's collection of endangered and rescued animals, people can visit the Pachyderm Building to blow off a little steam in the free inflatable playhouse. Then people can picnic and watch the circus group and test their skills on the climbing wall. Every time someone rings the bell at the top, the zoo will donate $1 to animal conservation programs.
Hullabuzoo takes place May 25-27 and is free with zoo admission, except for the climbing wall, for which there is a $3 charge. For more information, including admission prices, visit http://www.sfzoo.org.
New trans health care service announced
Lyon-Martin Health Services has announced the launch of Transgender Telehealth, an innovative program that brings transgender care to remote areas.
Using the latest in telecommunications technology, a real-time visit is now possible between a transgender care specialist and a patient with their primary care provider throughout California. Telehealth is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant broadband network that delivers health-related services and information from one medical room to another via videoconference.
"This service has a proven history of creating new pathways to health care and now we'll use Telehealth as a tool to reach transgender communities living far beyond our traditional service boundary of San Francisco and outside of urban areas," clinic director Elizabeth Sekera said in a statement.
The new program will also allow Lyon-Martin, which serves many transgender patients, the opportunity to bring its knowledge of trans-specific care to other providers around the state, according to Lyon-Martin Executive Director Dr. Dawn Harbatkin.
Through Transgender Telehealth, Lyon-Martin can provide evaluation for surgery, hormone replacement therapy, resources, and assistance with advocacy for insurance coverage.
According to advocacy groups, transgender people are, historically, twice as likely to be unemployed and without employer-based health insurance. Even those with coverage often avoid basic care due to pervasive discrimination. Transgender Telehealth was developed to address those issues.
For more information, visit www.lyon-martin.org/transgender-telehealth.