Increasing Access to Justice: Update

     For a first time event, "Increasing Access to Justice: Advocating for LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence" went pretty darn well.

• October 22 - 12 to 13 participants. Attendees were from Phoebe's Home, private practice, and Sexual Assault Resource Center. I met some new faces of social workers in our community and really appreciate their input. In addition, to those who came from afar, such as Austin, I am very very greatful.
• October 23 - 7 to 9 participants. Mainly student affairs and University personnel. We were joined by a law enforcement officer partway through and I really appreciated his input. Great learning was had

 

   After all is said and done, we came away with a net earning of $113, which I hope to share some with the project partners, and put the bulk into next year's program.

 

   I could not have done this without all of the following project planning partners:

• Brazos Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers
• Texas Advocacy Project

 

Other partners on the project that I am indebted to:

• Aggie Allies
• Brazos Valley Area Agency on the Aging
• Texas A&M GLBT Resource Center

 

And special thanks to:

• GLBTA
• an Anonymous donor of baked refreshments for both days
• GLBT Professional Network

 

Most of all, I could have not done this at all without the sponsorship of

• Brazos Progressives
• Brazos County Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Chest Infection, Coughing, Sinus Infection - Attack of the bacterioids

     So, it has been a rough two weeks in which many things I hoped to accomplish have not been accomplished because my body has been so worn down because of natural baterialogical warfare by mother nature against me. It started as a bad case of chest congestion and miserableness that I nursed through and eventually got a little better. Funny thing is that I think I developed the voice of an aging rock star during this time...in between the hacking and breathing through what felt like fluid.
     The doctor prescribed septra-D, which apparently is also used for staph infections, according to the pharmacist. That and a combination of mucinex-dm and alka-seltzer cold medicines have seemed to help.
     That is, until this weekend. Apparently, taking the family to Weiner-Fest was just too much for my sinuses. I was miserable and heat exhausted after only a few hours, so we went home. While leaving, we met my friend Dr. Dianne Kraft who wisely offered what she uses during these times - a Nettie Pot . I forgot honestly about these wonderous inventions.
     So we got home, ate lunch, and decided to take a small nap before planning to go to the Big Gay BBQ being held this Saturday. We planned, but our bodies told us otherwise, as neither of us woke up till after 6pm, still feeling miserable. We ate dinner, watched some tv, and back to bed.
     Sunday found Robin having to do a shift at work, while I stayed home. I did use the Neti pot Sunday morning and slept, which seemed to help quite a bit...I hope that it lasts.
     So, at the end of this month is the set of workshops on same-sex domestic violence entitled "Increasing Access to Justice: Advocating for LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence". This has been a very very rewarding project to partner with JJ Lara of Texas Advocacy Project and Ed Lane of the Brazos Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Although the project is really the creation of JJ and TAP, bringing it to the venue of Bryan/College Station has been a project in learning how to set up coalition based community education projects. I hope to continue this kind of work in the future with Ed Lane and others to offer more programs in the Brazos Valley. Already I tentatively have thoughts for the following programs:

1. Bringing Allison Vogt of Montrose Counseling Center to speak either during GLBTA Awareness week in the Spring or next Fall for followup on Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
2. A program on LGBT elderly or LGBT and aging, the issues involved, the topics to discuss. I am hoping that this would be a good project to get Lowell Kane to present on with his research in the area as well as partner with the Brazos Valley Area Agency on the Aging and national groups such as SAGE. I wonder if there is a month dedicated to celebrating our elders - or if the month during which grandparents day resides would be suitable.
3. I would like to consider a program bearing my research on Issues in Transgender Health Care and working with local and national partners to present such a program as well.

So, that is a number of projects to consider.
Right now though, I have to get through this first one and am nervous that it will work "perfectly"

I will keep you updated....