Welcome to the December edition of Pride Center News! The Pride Center of New Jersey wishes everyone a safe, warm, and happy winter season. This month, please take a look at renovation closures, changes to the board, and the addition of a new group! Thank you to everyone who donated to the center this past month. Your contributions help keep our entirely volunteer run facility and programs open.   

Starting in January, monthly Board Meetings will be scheduled for the second Thursday of each month. Our monthly meetings are open to the public, and our leadership team welcomes all members of the community to attend. Thank you to all of the new faces in attendance this past month. 

We send heartfelt goodbyes as Coco (they/she), Joel (he/him), and Jeffrey (he/him) have officially stepped down from their roles on the board this month. Coco, Joel, and Jeffrey have been an integral part of the Pride Center of NJ, serving on the board as Community Outreach Coordinator & Organizer, Health Education Trustee, and Recording Secretary respectively. Coco supports several initiatives focused on the extended local community both within and outside of the Pride Center of New Jersey, seeking to gather, empower, fundraise, educate, and support. Joel has used his perspective as a Registered Nurse to serve PCNJ and worked to foster invaluable community partnerships with organizations such as Planned Parenthood and EDGE NJ. Jeff was elected to the board in 2017 and brings decades of experiences working to provide safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community in sports. We thank you all for your dedication and hard work these past years and look forward to partnering with you again in the future!

 

 

There's a lot going on in the world and it may be difficult to process everything on your own. The Pride Center of New Jersey invites you to our Pre-Inauguration Speak Out to help us bond, heal, and prepare as a community. This will be a community-led discussion where any individual will be able to share whatever is on their mind, but we will have panelists from some of our partner organizations that will be able to provide some guidance, perspective, and empathy. 

Space at the Pride Center is limited, BUT we will be offering a virtual option for those of you that can't be there in person but want to be part of the conversation. The event is free regardless of how you attend, but RSVP is required for both virtual and in person options. 

Relatedly, we understand that some folks may find it uncomfortable to share their feelings or be vulnerable in a crowd setting, so we are also offering the option for people to share any thoughts/feelings/questions/concerns in advance of the Speak Out via this anonymous survey (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1F2ot-NsYxFm8NtsDD5gylQHo8ulptjwjwxSCkFqaHbU/edit). Please note, responses will be share with panelists ahead of the event to help them prepare as needed. 

 

“The Trueselves project is a multifaceted artistic initiative that encompasses full length plays, documentaries, short films, and dance pieces, all aimed at amplifying the voices and experiences of transgender and gender-diverse individuals of New Jersey. Rooted in collaboration with The Pride Center of New Jersey, the project seeks to address the growing need for public education on access to care, allyship, and language as visibility increases within these communities… Truselves aims to create a comprehensive archive of interviews and research. This archive will serve as a valuable resource for educators, trans individuals, families, and advocates,” (Truselves, 2024).

Led by collaborating artist Jace Pastras, on December 6 2024 at coLAB Arts, viewers participated in a gallery walk and talk-back session aimed at exploring "the expansiveness of queer and trans masculinity through live movement, music, and photography inspired by oral histories of the trans experience from New Jersey," (Trueselves, 2024).

Email: trueselves@pridecenter.org