U.S. Supreme Court upholds Trump's Ban on Trans in the Military

On Jan. 22, the U.S. Supreme Court made the decision to lift the injunctions set up by lower courts, allowing the Trump administration’s controversial ban on transgender military service members to go into effect immediately. To explore more about the ruling, please visit here. Picture above from the documentary film, TransMilitary, which explores the struggles of transgender service members. To learn more about the documentary, please click here.

Boulder County Courthouse National Historic Designation

On Jan. 4, we celebrated the Boulder Courthouse's National Historic Designation in LGBTQ History as the place where Clela Rorex, Boulder County Clerk issued the first same-sex marriage licenses in the United States in 1975. I felt so much pride as we filled up the Hearing Room with LGBTQ folks and our allies to hear inspiration from Mardi Moore, Out Boulder County Executive Director; Jared Polis, Colorado State Governor; and Clela Rorex herself. Thanks to Clela and Boulder County for standing up for LGBTQ equality! Pictured here is Clela Rorex and Michael Chifalo, AAA LGBT Program Specialist, with Colorado State Representative, Jonathan Singer in the background. To learn more about the Boulder County Courthouse Historic Designation, watch the video here.

Celebrating Governor

Jared Polis

On Jan.9. One Colorado sponsored The Purple Ball: From the Hate State to the Great State, an evening honoring Colorado's LGBTQ history with special guests Governor Jared Polis, First Gentlemen Marlon Reis, the Honorable Barney Frank; in addition to musical guests the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, Sasha High, Melissa Etheridge and Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters. So much fun to participate in this event. Congratulations Colorado!

February Coffee Klatch

Food and Nutrition 

Our Coffee Klatch is taking a different shape and form for 2019! Instead of meeting at the same place multiple times per year, we are taking the Klatch on the road with a year-long series of topics with rotating times and locations. Our Winter series, continues in February with Food and Nutrition presented by AAA registered dietician, Patti Murphy on Feb. 21 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Louisville Senior Center at 900 W. Via Appia Way in Louisville. Please join us for a discussion about nutrition, followed by a live demonstration of a few easy-to-make, healthy and delicious recipes. For more information, contact Michael Chifalo.

New Supper Club!

In addition to our regularly-scheduled Rainbow Elders' Supper Club that takes place on the 2nd Thursday of the month, we will begin another Supper Club that will occur every other month beginning in February on the 4th Thursday of the month. So mark your calendars for dinner at Goodfella's (623 Ken Pratt Boulevard) in Longmont on Feb. 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This event will take place every other month on the 4th Thursday. For additional information, please email Michael Chifalo.

BCAAA LGBT Volunteer Program?

The Boulder County Area Agency on Aging Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Programs is exploring the possibility of providing LGBT or ally volunteer matches to LGBT older adults (60+) in our community to create connection and combat social isolation. Before we can proceed with designing a program, we need to assess if the need and resources exist. Please consider completing our survey,

• If you are someone who desires to be matched with an LGBT or ally volunteer, or
• If you would consider volunteering yourself to connect with an LGBT older adult, or
• If you are a professional who might refer LGBT older adults to receive volunteer services, or
• If you are a professional who might refer LGBT or ally people to volunteer to provide a connection to an LGBT older adult.

Our brief, 5-minute survey can be found here.

Project Visibility On-line Training

Our AAA LGBT programs also need assistance evaluating our Project Visibility online staff training. This instruction is available on demand and is free for anyone. This interactive, online class equips individuals with awareness and skills that are helpful working with LGBT older adults in their care. We want to make sure the online course is easy to access and use. Will you free up 35 minutes (30 to take the online training, and 5 to take a survey) to help us evaluate this important training?

• Go to projectvisibility.org. Watch the video, then register to take the course. (There’s a link “Access the online Project Visibility Training”).
• After participating in the 30-minute online training, please provide feedback here.

Your input will be used to increase access and use of this resource. Thank you for taking time to help us upgrade our training and education, and thus, improve outcomes for LGBT older adults.

Join Out Boulder County in their Longmont office at 630 Main Street to talk about death! A Death Cafe is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session. The conversation will be facilitated by Geo A. Case. Geo is a Board Certified Clinical Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor that currently works as a Community Liaison for a local home health and hospice agency as well as a hospice chaplain providing end-of-life spiritual care. This is a free event and refreshments will be served! Please RSVP here.

Out Boulder County's Lesbian Support & Social Group offers social support group meetings for anyone who identifies as 55+ and Lesbian. Group meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. at OBC on Main, 630 Main Street in Longmont. To learn more, visit Out Boulder County.

Join LGBTQ Coloradans, their families, and allies at the state capitol for One Colorado's annual LGBTQ Lobby Day on Wednesday, Feb. 13, from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Denver, 1373 Grant Street, Denver 80203. The event is FREE, but RSVP required here. For more information, please visit One Colorado's Facebook page.