Trans Day of Visibility - March 2020

In lieu of an event due to quarantine, I created this video and description to reach out to trans students:

"For this Trans Day of Visibility in particular, it may be hard to feel visible. Visibility is very important in validating our experiences, but it can also be hard to navigate visibility in an often threatening world. TDOV is all about finding the perfect amount of visibility that makes you thrive. Today is your day to be seen in all your sparkling light. Whether it’s by posting selfies, shouting out your trans pride from the rooftops, or by sitting quietly in your favorite sweatshirt watching a feel-good movie—there’s no wrong way to celebrate yourself.

Let us know how you’re doing and what small (or huge) act of self-love you’re giving yourself today. Feel free to share what makes you feel gender euphoric and how others can best encourage that feeling for you.

We hope you’re taking good care of yourself--we're here for you. To schedule a meeting for individual support, contact the SE QRC Coordinator, Nico at nico.judd@pcc.edu, or the SE QRC Program Specialist, Terrie at terrie.quinteros@pcc.edu

#tdov"

A GIF to jump-start our GIPHY account, on our way to having public affirming GIFs! Followed by a written announcement:

"Hey dearest queers,

Happy Spring, and happy Trans Day of Visibility! We hope you’re doing okay settling into your online classes, taking time to recuperate and reach out during this challenging time. We hope you’re as healthy and happy as you can be right now. It’s more than reasonable to feel spent, on-edge, upset, afraid, or any other emotion—we are in a significant moment in history. It’s more than vital to make sure you have what you need to thrive right now. You are loved, valued, and important.

Even though PCC’s campuses are closed, our team is still so eager to provide support and community to all our queer and trans siblings! Please let us know if a friend is in need of resources and doesn’t have access to internet or a computer—we want to keep in touch with everyone who needs it right now.

We are excited to show you what we’re planning for this term, and we wish you luck with your classes! Utilize PCC’s resources, and know that we’re all here to help, so please don’t be afraid to ask questions! Additionally, we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can best support you during this time. Send us your ideas on how you’d like to see the digital QRC be organized!

Stay safe, and know that the world is a better place with you in it

To schedule a meeting for individual support, contact the SE QRC Coordinator, Nico at nico.judd@pcc.edu, or SE QRC Program Specialist, Terrie at terrie.quinteros@pcc.edu"

SE QRC Discord Server - Spring 2020

After the school closure, the QRC whipped up a virtual space for students to watch movies and shows with us, play games, make friends, and chat. I moderated along with my team on a regular basis, and hosted Queer TV Night twice a month as a part of Queer Movie Club. Just like in the physical QRC, we made sure to watch a lot of cartoons and baking shows! 

Queer Movie Club - 2019-2020

We have SOOOOO much fun at the QMC!!! Fall of 2020 I had the pleasure of getting $150 worth of gift cards to students, with a packed virtual house! 

Twice a month, we get together to watch media with trans and queer themes, discuss, chill--And we start every meeting reviewing a healthy list of resources that I update on a regular basis, containing: 

When surveyed, 100% of attendees reported learning something from the resource list, and over 75% said they may utilize the resources presented. Wahoo!

SE Trans ID Clinic – March 2020

Inspired by free legal clinics held by the PCC Cascade Paralegal Program, I asked Portland attorney Michael Zhang and (now alumna) PCC paralegal Dana Danger if they’d work with me on an event at SE PCC, where students and community members could get assistance changing their legal name and/or gender markers in Oregon.

The “Re-birthday Party”, as we dubbed it, was a raging success. Dana was kind enough to put together amazing packets for us as well as design a cover, and Michael was an amazing soundboard for need-to-know info. We got to eat pizza and take pictures with our Laverne Cox cutout to celebrate ourselves, and attendees ended up making friends!
I have since then maintained a folder of the resources we curated and/or created for this event, including:

- A slideshow I created explaining ID changes

- A How to File Guide, which provides information about different courthouses

- Summaries of birth certificate and drivers' license laws in other states

- Helpful links, including a map of places to file forms at, as well as healthcare providers, etc

- A PDF of the packet attendees received

- Name/gender marker change forms for minors

- The fee waiver form for name/gender marker change

- Passport renewal step-by-step

- ... and more to be added in the future

Special Circle Chat with Cameron Esposito at SE PCC, early 2020! Aren't we cute?! We talked about identity and creativity, and what we need in order to enable ourselves to perform and create, despite oppressive systemic barriers. 

Radical Valentine's Day Crafts – February 2020

In the spirit of community- and self-love, my teammate Finn decided to hold an event where love and art could be enjoyed by all, not just those in a relationship. It was fun to set up and tear down, we were covered in glitter when it was over. This table stayed here with us and crafted non-stop!

Let’s Get Physical: A Free & Inclusive Workout Class (With SE WRC) – February 2020

The PCC Women’s Resource Center teamed up with us to offer a free, weekly fitness class for gender and sexual minorities at PCC. Here’s Dana, Gregor and I after a bunch of high-knees!

Tabling with ASPCC Resource Fair – 2020

Students did a scavenger hunt to learn about PCC’s resource centers! I chatted with them about upcoming events, offered some freebies, and spent a lot of time answering questions about what identities each of our free pride flag pins represented.

Free & Confidential HIV Testing - November 2019, January 2020

Our first HIV testing event of the year went spectacularly! Tara, from the Cascade AIDS Project, who did our testing for the day, said she’d tested more people than she had ever tested at SE QRC--we did NINE tests! Multiple people even came the next day to see if the event was still going on. We were able to give out internal and latex-free condoms, and provide frequent free HIV testing on-campus throughout the year, thanks to CAP! 

National Coming Out Day – October 2019

The first event of my work with the QRC—and perhaps one of our most ambitious! I created an identity bulletin-board where students could “pin the tail on their identities”, and walked curious people through what unfamiliar terms were, with the glossary I had printed handy. We ate lots of pizza, of course, and had a great time in our shiny photo booth!