Avenidas

Re-Inventing Aging

Rainbow Collective

Rainbow Collective

Santa Clara County Releases Data from LGBTQ Older Adult Survey in Recent Townhall

The results are in. Santa Clara County recently released the findings of the LGBTQ+ Older Adult Survey that was launched earlier this year. The data collected from the survey is very enlightening and was used to form recommendations for future programs and services that focus on the needs of LGBTQ+ Older Adults in Santa Clara County.

Below you will find links to the Final Report and Executive summary for the survey as well as videos of the recorded town hall presentation and community member lived experience testimonials.

LGBTQ+ Older Adults in Santa Clara County Town Hall Video

Executive Summary (click the image to download the PDF)

Final Report (click the image to download the PDF)

LGBTQ+ Older Adult Lived Experiences Video

Some of the testimonials you will see in the video are actual members of Avenidas Rainbow Collective.

I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the data collected in the survey and let the county know your thoughts about the data and recommended steps to take moving forward.

Contributed by Thomas Kingery.

Men’s Walking Group Visit the Legion of Honor Museum in SF and Honor One of Their Own

The Men’s Walking Group enjoyed a beautiful day of art, nature, and togetherness in San Francisco last month. The group met on a beautiful Saturday morning at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco.

The museum was fantastic and the art inside was inspiring. We saw paintings, tapestries, furniture, and other works of creativity and beauty that dated as far back the 1400’s. Monet paintings are much more impressive in person.

The Legion of Honor Museum and the surrounding golf course in Lincoln Park made for the perfect place for us to honor one of our own. Before lunch the group took a moment for thoughtful remembrance of our friend and founder of the group who had passed days before this meet-up.

Ken Gielow founded this group in 2020 as a way to create space for older gay men to come together and develop positive relationships with each other. Ken understood the value of friends and family in life and came to each meet-up with his positive attitude and hopefulness that inspired many of us in the group. Ken will be missed but never forgotten. We love you, Ken.

LGBTQ Inclusion Training Video

Education for Service and Housing Providers

Watch this exciting and insightful training for those who provide care and or housing to LGBTQ+ Older Adults.

Topics

  • Cultural Humility with LGBTQ+ Older Adults
  • Working with Older Transgender Clients
  • Practical Applications: Case Studies of Incidents and Interventions
  • Restructuring Inclusion: Better Practices for working with LGBTQ+ Older Adults

Training provided by Ephraim Getahun from OpenHouse SF and facilitated by Thomas Kingery from Avenidas.

Watch the Video

On November 10th over 3 dozen participants, representing local care and housing provider agencies and organizations, received cultural humility training. The training provided by Avenidas Rainbow Collective and presented by Openhouse SF was intended to help these professionals to navigate unfamiliar territories as they serve the needs of LGBTQ+ Older Adults in our community.

We encourage anyone working with older adults to expand their understanding of the LGBTQ+ older adult experience by taking other cultural humility trainings such as this. Ephraim Getahun (He, Him) presented the training for us on November 10th and is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Training at Openhouse SF. If you or your organization is interested in further trainings, I highly recommend that you reach out to Ephraim Getahun .

For more information about Openhouse and the programs that they offer go to www.openhouse-sf.org .

Openhouse Logo
Avenidas Rainbow Collective LGBTQ Seniors Initiative logo

Wonder Women Goes from the Screen to the Green

On Sunday, Nov 7, 2021, the Avenidas’ Lesbian Social Group, also known as Wonder Women, got together in-person for the first time at an outdoor potluck picnic!

We met at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto from noon to 2pm. It was a beautiful sunny day with good tree shade. Weekend picnic tables are first come first serve so I got to the park early to claim a few tables at the Redwood Individual Area. I set up my rainbow heart flag on my wagon as the Wonder Women beacon.

Everyone arrived with delicious treats and drinks. We had 2 tables full of savory goodness and sweet delights. We shared life updates and met family members, partners, friends, and puppy Penny. Beverly showed us her new Wonder Women shirt and she wore it with pride.

We hugged and laughed. The afternoon was filled with smiles. It was a fun fall gathering and our group is already chatting about our next holiday in-person meetup!

Silicon Valley Pride 2021 Report

Contributed by Thomas Kingery.

On Sunday, August 29th, Avenidas Rainbow Collective took part in the Silicon Valley Pride Festival in downtown San Jose and we had a blast.

Thomas Kingery posing in front of the Silicon Valley Pride banner.

This was our first year with a booth at the festival and we were not sure what to expect. Our intention was to be present in community, educate the public about the challenges of older adults in the LGBTQ community,  and to spread the word about our program as a resource for a segment of the LGBTQ community that is sometimes forgotten about. 

  • The Avenidas Booth at SV Pride 2021
  • Monica helping out at SV Pride 2021

 We had such a wonderful time engaging with community members. To be honest, it was quite refreshing to be surrounded by community members who have come together in the spirit of love, acceptance, and happiness. I am not exaggerating when I say that every single person who came to the our table was very kind and friendly. I had a smile on my face all day. So many people with dogs, too. I was in heaven. If my dog knew how many other dogs I petted that day I would be sleeping at the foot of the bed.

  • Going to the dogs at SV Pride
  • Joining the dancing at SV Pride

We met so many wonderful people who wanted to join our program and/or volunteer to help promote it. It was amazing. I had a great time with Monica, Jyllian, and Jenn working the table at the event. I appreciate all the hard work they put in making our table a success at the event. When the event was nearly over, Jyllian and I joined the crowd dancing in front of the stage. It was such a great time that I will never forget.

The event was great fun and we were successful in spreading the word about the Avenidas Rainbow Collective. For that I am thankful.

Older man giving out free "dad hugs" to young people at SV Pride 2021
Get your Dad Hugs here!

However, the one thing that I shall never forget was when I saw a man walking around with a shirt that read “Free Dad Hugs”. These three young people walked up with their arms out. Without out word the Dad opened his arms. The young person being hugged broke down in tears. I imagine that person has not had a “Dad Hug” for a very long time. It made me think how we take some things for granted, like our family members, acceptance, and a simple hug.

Pride is where magic happens. I got to witness a little magic at Silicon Valley Pride and experience a lot of fun to boot.

Did you attend the Silicon Valley Pride parade or festival? If so, let us know what you thought of the event. Did you have a good time? Make any new friends? Witness a little magic?

Share your story by emailing it to me at with the subject “Pride story” and I will put it in our next newsletter.

-Thomas Kingery