Video of proclamation reading:
2023 Gay Pride June Declaration at City of Vallejo
Category Archives: Activism
Solano Fairgrounds Student Art Showcase
This was my first time at the Solano County Fairgrounds and I was impressed with the site. LGBTQMinusTobacco had a booth there that day. We saw lots of incredible art and enjoyed the part of the fairgrounds that we got to see.
HSNB Children’s Wonderland Event
My Monte and Polar and Drexel the foster dog with the Humane Society of the North Bay are in the video. Later in the day Monte and Polar went over to the reptile section to see the snake and turtle.
High School Health Fair
In my activism with LGBTQ Minus Tobacco, we were invited to table at the Jesse Bethel High School mental health fair as part of Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
This was a pleasant experience. The kids were receptive to us being there and asked a lot of questions, knowing in large part how harmful smoking and vaping are to our communities. As many know, the insidious tobacco industry in particular targets communities like LGBTQ and BIPOC, causing them to smoke at higher rates.
Giving to Humane Society of the North Bay is fun
Here are some of the fabulous things I got in return for donations to HSNB.org. We have auctions and other events coming up where we will be featuring these items in exchange for donations. Check out our website on how to give and be informed of upcoming events!
I love thrift stores and estate sales, so I’m kind of dangerous around this kind of stuff, but there are definitely pieces that do and don’t speak to me. This time a cluster of them just happened to.
Day of the Child Event at City Park in Vallejo
We tabled for Humane Society of the North Bay at this cute event for kids also called “El Dia del Nino” put on by Centro Latino. It was a lot of fun and we got to meet a lot of cool people.
Presentation to Vallejo City Council for Tobacco Retail License
Some of our team poses after our rushed presentation:
City of Vallejo Volunteer Recognition
Got some nice swag and nice words, but most importantly it was a good night to meet other local volunteers. I met some activists I had known from online but only met in person this evening for the first time since I moved here during Covid. It feels great to be recognized for the work that we do! I know a lot of folks in this picture, but you can find Shando and me toward the right.
Tobacco Retail Licenses, and Why Vallejo Needs One
I have the privilege of presenting with a coalition of organizations at the City Council meeting Tuesday night, April 25, about a very important subject that will make a difference for the future of Vallejo youth if we can get it adopted. Last year with the same coalition LGBTQ Minus Tobacco, Bay Area Community Resources and VibeSolano, we successfully got a Smokefree Multi-Unit Housing ordinance passed unanimously.
After Proposition 31 prohibiting the sale of most tobacco flavors in California (including menthol) passed last November, it is important that we give some teeth to the new rules that are designed to protect our youth from access to very addictive nicotine products like cigarettes, cigarillos, vapes, cigars, hookah, etc. It’s shocking how many products every tobacco retailer in Vallejo I visited in January had available. Most alarming was that some of the delivery devices looked like highlighters and USB drives to help youth hide their tobacco consumption from teachers and parents. This is by design.
Some of you know that I’ve been volunteering against Big Tobacco since losing my father when he was fifty due to his smoking, not to mention other family members. I encourage Vallejo residents to speak in favor of a TRL by doing one of the following if you are so inclined.
Here is a fact sheet on TRL’s:
Glen Cove Community Association Spring 2023 Community Meeting
I’m the default emcee for these things as President of GCCA. It’s wonderful to be very involved with my neighborhood and getting to know so many of my neighbors here in Vallejo. Kudos to my husband for recording most of the meeting with his phone.
