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LGBTQI+ Community, Meeting reflections

Brief Meeting Notes – June 10, 2025

BRIEF MEETING NOTES
JUNE 10, 2025

___________________________________________________________________________

Our January general membership meeting was held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 7pm, via Zoom.

AGENDA

  • Call to Order – Kathy Kerridge, Chair
  • Quorum – Christina Gilpin-Hayes, Secretary
  • Acknowledgements
  • Welcome to new members and steering committee members
  •  Program
    • Kel O’Hara, Senior Attorney of Policy and Education Equity at Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) in San Francisco
    • Christina Gilpin-Hayes – Local actions to support and celebrate our LGBTQ+ community
    • Bart Sullivan, Esq. Swing Blue Alliance: Counter right wing media
    • PDB By Laws Amendment
    • CA Democratic Convention Recap
    • Treasurer’s Report – Chris Kerz
    • Acknowledgements/Announcements

Speakers

  • Kel O'HaraKel O’Hara (they/them), Senior Attorney of Policy and Education, Equity at Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) in San Francisco
  • Ari Smith, Legal Services of Northern California in Vallejo
    • Presentation on LGBTQ+ Rights in California and how to get involved
  • Christina Gilpin-Hayes
    • Presentation on Local Events Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community:
      • Saturday, June 14, 10am-7pm – “Solano Comes OUT”, Solano County Fair
      • Saturday, June 15, 1-6pm – Sunday Funday, Rellik Tavern, Benicia
      • Saturday, June 22, 12-3pm – Pride in the Park, Vacaville
      • Monday, June 23, 6:30pm – How to be and Ally, Benicia Library
      • Saturday, June 28 – SF Pride Festival
      • Sunday, June 29 – SF Pride Parade
      • Sunday, July 6, 2-7pm – Pride After Glow Coctail Party (+ Cristina’s birthday), Baxters Restaurant & Bar, Benicia
  • Swing Blue Alliance Upcoming Events
    • June 11, 2:00 pm – Landing In Print Or On the Air – How to win media visibility for your event, campaign, or project
    • June 18, 2:00 pm – How to Launch and Sustain a Community Podcast That Strengthens Democracy
    • June 25, 2:00 pm – Influencing Public Opinion: Writing Successful Letters to the Editor
    • htpps://www.mobilize.us/swingbluealliance/
PDB By Laws Amendment Discussion – Vote at next meeting

CADEM Convention Report

Announcements

  • Solano County No Kings Events – Saturday, June 14
    • Vallejo – 10:00 am Vallejo City Hall
    • Benicia – 1:00 pm First Street Gazebo
    • Fairfield – Noon Corner of Jefferson & Texas Streets
    • Vacaville – 10:00 am Vacaville City Hall
    • Rio Vista – 10:00 am CA-12
    • http://www.mobilize.us/nokings/
  • Upcoming City Council Meeting to adopt the budget
  • Brief report from Mayor Young on the state of the Valero refinery closure and other possible closures, and the State’s response
  • Benicia Public Library Juneteenth – June 19 6:30 to 8:30 pm
  • Sustainable Solano Annual Celebration & Fundraiser June 29 4-7 pm at Soul Food Farm
  • June 10 – Suisun City Council to vote on advancing annexation of 22,000 acres of CA Forever Project
  • June 28 6-7:30 pm – Wanda Williams Fundraiser Birthday Party at Wooden Valley Winery
  • July 3 6:30 pm Benicia Torchlight Parade on 1st Street

Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at 7:00 pm

Meeting Recording Link

Here is a link to the video recording of the meeting. If asked for a passcode, it is:

Vi9eKr=c

 

LGBTQI+ Community, Meeting notices, Progressive Democrats of Benicia

Our Next Meeting – TUESDAY, June 10

MEMBER MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2025, 7:00 PM

ZOOM MEETING
____________________________________________________________

Dear members and supporters,

On our agenda this month:

      • Presentation: State of LGBTQ rights in the US and how straight allies can help
        • Guest Speaker: Kel O’Hara (full bio & information below)
      • Notice of bylaw amendments (proposed amendments have been sent to all members)

To get the zoom link to the meeting please email progressivedemocratsofbenicia@gmail.com. We will send the zoom link to members the day before the meeting.

Guest Speaker: Kel O’HaraKel O'Hara

Kel O’Hara (they/ them) is a Senior Attorney of Policy and Education Equity at Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) in San Francisco, where they support state and federal policy advocacy with an emphasis on sexual violence and harassment, pay equity, gender discrimination, and other education and employment civil rights. At ERA, they created the first legal project in the country to focus on supporting LGBTQ+ student survivors of sexual violence in school under Title IX. Kel regularly speaks and trains legal and non-legal audiences on Title IX, trauma-informed practices, and LGBTQ+ issues.

No Kings Data: Mass Protest on June 14, 2025

“No Kings” Day of Defiance
The U.S. Army confirmed plans for a parade on June 14—the Army’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 79th. Pro-democracy campaigners announced a nationwide “No Kings” day of defiance on June 14 to counter protest this authoritarian display. More than 100 protests have already been registered across the U.S. plus many more expected to join. Find more information on local events via the link below:

Learn More

You can also find more information about the protest and how to attend on the No Kings website.

Renew Your Membership

Don’t forget that our membership dues are now due.   Membership dues are $30 a year (please contact me if this is a hardship)  You can renew your membership, or submit an application to become a new member, at this link: https://progressivedemocratsofbenicia.org/pay-dues-donate/.

Watch this space or your email for information about how to access the next meeting.

See you soon!

 

Climate action, Meeting notices, Progressive Democrats of Benicia

Our Next Meeting – TUESDAY, April 8

MEMBER MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025, 7:00 PM

ZOOM MEETING
____________________________________________________________

Dear members and supporters,

Please note that this meeting is earlier in the month than usual.

On our agenda this month:

    • Theo LeQuesne, PhD. [pronounced Luh-Cain], is an organizer with the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute where he works to build grassroots power to phase out oil and gas production and confront climate scams like carbon capture and storage in California. He will be speaking about the Montezuma Carbon Capture Project and how it could impact Benicia and the rest of the Bay Area Refinery communities.
    • Terry Mollica of the Benicia Industrial Health and Safety Working Group will be updating us on the status of the ISO.
    • Jack Kolk and the zoom bombing that took place at our last meeting.
    • Sister Districts and what we can do now to address our current crisis.

 Renew Your Membership

Don’t forget that our membership dues are now due.   Membership dues are $30 a year (please contact me if this is a hardship)  You can renew your membership, or submit an application to become a new member, at this link: https://progressivedemocratsofbenicia.org/pay-dues-donate/.

Watch this space or your email for information about how to access the next meeting.

See you soon!