Community, Resources
Recently Center for Critical Public Health got the opportunity to have a table at the Pride in the Park Health and Wellness Fair. Happy 4th Anniversary and a huge thanks to the Oakland LGBTQ Center for organizing the event and welcoming us to share space with groups like the HIV Education and Prevention Project of Alameda County (HEPPAC) doing vital work in the Bay Area! Beautiful weather and lovely people made for a day of much-needed community celebration and resource-full-ness by the lake.
At the CCPH table we focused on getting the word out about our Tobacco Harm Reduction Study and answering questions folks had about our work. Alongside getting to chat with people about the study and our research group, I also loved learning about some of the other organizations in attendance.
What resources have you found helpful or supportive? Let us know in the comments below.
I found out about ProjectQ, a non-profit founded in LA that provides affirming haircuts and other services to LGBTQIA+ young people experiencing housing insecurity. The booth across from us was run by One Degree, an online hub connecting people to all kinds of resources, social services, and local support. After the celebration we made sure to add both of these, along with HEPPAC’s harm reduction services, to the Community and Emergency Resources List we provide to participants in our studies. I feel a bit remiss for not having these orgs on my radar sooner, but, better late than never! Glad I can pass the info on now.
During set up and throughout the afternoon I also got to know our table-neighbors, who were there telling people about an online survey being conducted on experiences of inclusion, exclusion and representation in the Castro. I was excited to hear about these efforts for gathering community input because participants in our studies with LGBTQ+ folks over the past 5 years have highlighted these issues repeatedly in their narratives on identity, community, and stigma.
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