Support Meetings
| Meeting | This Month | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood City 2nd Monday | San Mateo County Meeting Sequoia Union H.S. District Offices 480 James Ave., Redwood City 94062 Map |
|
| San Jose 2nd Wednesday | First Congregational Church, 1980 Hamilton Ave (at Leigh), San Jose 95125 Map |
Monthly Topic
San Jose (Feb 8)
Ralph Nelson: Anti-Bullying Activist
Paul Clifford interviews Ralph Nelson about bullying in schools and how he works to help kids deal with it. Paul and Ralph start by talking about their own experiences with bullying as children. Then Ralph describes how he visits the sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade classes that his wife teaches, where he talks to the kids about bullying and performs the song Don't Laugh at Me, often with touching and profound results. He also performs the song for Paul and the viewing audience, and he tells the story of how the composers, Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin, came to write the song, and how it inspired Peter Yarrow (of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary) to found Operation Respect (www.operationrespect.org), which provides educational materials on bullying and uses the song as a centerpiece.
Redwood City (Feb 13)
At our Redwood City meeting, children's book publisher Reach And Teach co-founders Craig Wiesner and Derrick Kikuchi will talk about how their latest book, Operation Marriage, went from idea to reality. The book is about two Bay Area children who convince their moms to get married during the months leading up to the 2008 election, when Proposition 8 put marriage equality on hold. The book was written by the Bay Area's own awardwinning author Cynthia Chin-Lee and illustrator Lea Lyon. Hopefully the author and illustrator will join Craig and Derrick for a fun, dramatic reading of the book. You'll also learn a bit about Reach And Teach, which is dedicated to transforming the world through teachable moments with products that promote peacemaking, gender equality, and sustainable living. You can find them online at www.reachandteach.com and in their Dove and Olive Works/Reach And Teach shop at 178 South Blvd. near 16th Avenue in San Mateo.
Small groups support will also be offered at the meetings. Please join us!
Never been to a Meeting...
If not, you may wonder what actually happens at our chapter support meetings. Do you have to talk? Do you have to announce that you are gay, lesbian, or transgendered - or that your son or daughter or sibling or parent is gay? Do you have to become a member, sign up for a committee, or march in the next Gay Pride Parade? Will we ask you for money?
In fact, there is no pressure to speak up, or reveal anything beyond your own comfort level at our meetings. There is no pressure to become a PFLAG activist unless it's something that you really are ready for and want to do. You can receive the PFLAG newsletter free for three months - only if you ask to - before deciding if you want to join PFLAG. And Peninsula/San Jose PFLAG never shares its membership list with any other organization.
We are there to provide support for those in need. You'll find us a diverse, very friendly and sympathetic group with a variety of experiences. We were once in your shoes, and approached our first PFLAG meeting with trepidation. As parents, friends, and/or GLBT people, we now share our journeys and learn from each other. Some of our stories may be helpful to you in sorting out your own conflicting and painful feelings.Our programs may give you helpful information and new insights.
We are also there to celebrate your successes, and to help galvanize you into action when you are ready to take an active role in making our world a safer and healthier place for all our families. So don't be shy - please join us! You'll be glad you did, and we will be, too!
Straight Spouse Support Group
There is support for the straight partner whose GLBT partner has come out. The group usually meets the 3rd Thursday of the month.
For more information, send an email to straightSpouse@pflagsanjose.org Or call our Help Line:(408) 270-8182