March 2015

 MESSAGE FROM CECE 

 Good things are happening daily at Resource Center through our programs and services. Good things are also happening around Resource Center by the work we do in the North Texas community - see the story here about the Dallas pension board.  

And, good and messy things are about to happen down the road. Soon, dirt will be flying at our new facility near Cedar Springs and Inwood. Save the date: Thursday, April 23 for the public groundbreaking ceremony. We'll have more details soon.

In the meantime, please accept our appreciation for your support of the work we do every day, while also planning for a great future.

    

Best regards, Cece

 

ADVOCACY: DALLAS PENSION BOARDS ADOPT SURVIVOR BENEFITS

Both of the City of Dallas' pension boards agreed to provide survivor benefits for all married couples, including same-sex, in February. And, both boards did so following advocacy and information provided by the Center. Starting in December, the Center reached out to members of the Dallas City Council who serve on those boards and pointed out that the pensions were covered by IRS regulations requiring that survivor benefits be expanded to all married couples, regardless of where they live. On February 10, the Board of Trustees for the Employees Retirement Fund of the City of Dallas unanimously voted to seek an opinion from the Dallas city attorney on the legality of offering the benefits. The Dallas City Council signed off on those benefits one week later. After the Dallas Police & Fire Pension (DPFP) board initially voted on February 12 to put off a decision on the benefits, the Center filed a complaint with the IRS over that board not following guidelines covering same-sex couples. One week after that complaint, the DPFP board unanimously approved the benefits on February 24. The decisions from both boards went into effect immediately.

 

HEALTH: CLINIC COORDINATOR CREATES CHANGE IN DENVER  
J.P. Cano, coordinator at the Center's Nelson-Tebedo Clinic, was a participant in the third annual Latino Institute at Creating Change, the National LGBT Task Force's annual conference held in Denver February 5-8. The Institute brings together diverse groups of LGBT Latinos and Latinas from across the U.S. to foster supportive relationships and build capacity to advance LGBT Latino activism. Cano said, "I was honored to represent the Center at the Latino Institute and tell the story of programs such as Valor Latino, the Center's outreach to gay and bisexual Latino men as they build support and community with each other." Cano was also a participant in the inaugural Latino Institute held at Creating Change in Atlanta in 2013 and last year in Houston.     

  

COMMUNITY: TRANS MEN SUPPORT GROUP      
Twice a month, the Center's GEAR program holds support and fellowship meetings specifically for transgender men. The meetings started in January 2014 and draw an average of 15 to 20 men per meeting. The Center's Terry Allen, who helps to facilitate the meetings, says the gatherings "provide brotherhood, peer support and social opportunities for transgender men at least twice a month which, prior to this group, there were none." Topics have included safer sex for gender variant bodies, sexism, disclosing one's trans status with friends and co-workers and how to practice self-care. Allen adds that this innovative program promotes brotherhood while boosting the visibility of transgender men. "Isolationism plagues our community. It was difficult to solidify a community when we had no unity," he said.


GIVE: 365 CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Become a sustaining donor and make a difference 365 days a year. As a 365 Club member, your monthly contribution provides predictable and reliable income to help sustain Center programs such as nutrition programs, HIV/STD testing, dental clinic, counseling, Youth First and Gray Pride.

"It makes us feel good to know that our monthly contribution through the Center's 365 Club is providing predictable and reliable income to allow the Center to operate their important programs and services for the LGBT and HIV communities." - Daniel Angeles & Ken Morris

Join the 365 Club and receive an invitation for an exclusive behind the scenes tour from Center CEO, Cece Cox, and discounts on Center events.

Click here or contact Dean S. Wilson at dwilson@myresourcecenter.org, or 214-540-4424 to add your name to the list of community leaders making a difference in the lives of the people the Center serves every day.  
   
SAVE THE DATE

Upcoming Resource Center events.   

  





Check the Center's website calendar here for a complete list of events. 


GET INVOLVED
TEXAS WINS       
The Center is part of a coalition of groups that has formed Texas Wins -- a new grassroots campaign standing against LGBT discrimination in the Lone Star State. For more information on the campaign and how you can be a part of it click here.

 
Resource Center
 
 
 
 

ABOUT RESOURCE CENTER:
Resource Center, a United Way Agency, operates the John Thomas LGBT Community Center, Nelson-Tebedo Clinic, Youth First and United Black Ellument. For over 30 years, the Center has provided programs of interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community members and critical assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS and their families. The programs of Resource Center promote understanding of the LGBT community and aim to eradicate the spread of HIV and AIDS. 
  
MISSION:
Resource Center is a trusted leader that empowers the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and wellness, strengthening families and communities and providing transformative education and advocacy.