We at CHH remember those whose lives and sacrifice give us PRIDE.
June is widely recognized as Gay Pride month. This year marks 50 years of activism for LGBQ/T rights and justice in the U.S.
Marsha P. Johnson has been called a guardian angel, queen mother, saint, and mayor of Christopher Street. After fighting back during a police raid on Stonewall Inn- a gay club in NYC, she became a trailblazing trans, gay liberation, and AIDS activist.
Marsha P. Johnson could be perceived as the most marginalized of people — black, queer, gender-nonconforming, and poor.
Arriving in New York at the age of 18, Johnson waited tables, did sex work, and became a well known drag queen in queer spaces across the city. When asked, Johnson would say that the P. in her name meant “Pay It No Mind,” serving as both a witty remark and useful mantra against the struggles she faced. She was 23 years old when she protested at Stonewall. Afterwards she would join the Gay Liberation Front and other organizations, actively fighting for fairness and equal rights until her death.
We recognize that sexual violence impacts the LGBQ/T community at disproportionately high rates. Our work to eradicate sexual violence includes those most vulnerable to abuse.
We see you. We are here for you.
This PRIDE month and every month.
Visit us at Lowell PRIDE this Saturday!
Friday, May 31 at 11am:
Greater Lowell PRIDE Flag Raising at City Hall
Saturday, June 1, at 12:30pm:
Visit our table at Middlesex Community College (33 Kearney Square, Lowell)!
We will have fun activities for youth, history of PRIDE, and lots of resources for the LGBQ/T community and their loved ones.
Community Partner Highlight
We are thrilled to partner with Greater Boston PFLAG, a group that helps change attitudes and creates an environment of understanding so that the LGBQ/T community can live in a world that is safe and inclusive.
Our latest group is a Support Group for Caregivers and Families of LGBQ/T Folx that meets on the 1st Saturday of each month at 11am on 21 George Street in Lowell (CHH Office).
For more information please contact
Mara: [email protected]
Javi: 978-452-7721
To locate a group in a different area click here.
HealingCorps Highlight
Meet Virginia McGoldrick! We are so grateful she has been on our team for the past seven years.
Thank you for all that you do Virginia!
“I am an Assistant Manager for UMass Medical School’s Center for Healthcare Financing. In my spare time I must admit I am a TV junkie. I love watching shows like The Voice, NCIS,
Law and Order SVU and the channels that show the
old-fashioned mysteries like ‘Murder She Wrote’, ‘Matlock’ and ‘Perry Mason’. I also enjoy watching the Red Sox. My absolute favorite thing to do is anything involving my granddaughter. Being a Nana is the best thing ever!
As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I traveled a long, challenging road to healing with a promise to myself that someday I would help ‘kids like me’. I began fulfilling that promise eight or nine years ago through my volunteer work at another sexual assault program. Through that program, I came to the CHH family.
CHH became the home for my soul and the fulfillment of my promise to myself. The staff and volunteers at CHH have provided, and continue to provide, support for me as a survivor and an advocate for others who seek to heal. At age 10 there was nowhere for me to turn. As an adult, I know that help is available for other 10-year old kids and anyone affected by sexual assault directly or through secondary trauma.
The CHH program teaches how to provide help to others and stresses the importance of self-care to make that help possible and positive. There are no words to adequately say what CHH means to me. There are no words to adequately say how much I know the advocacy means to those we help. I can only offer the words of a country song by Rascal Flatts “…God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you…..”
Sponsor Highlight
Here’s a shout-out to Bagel Alley of Nashua, NH for all of their support over the years!
Most recently, Bagel Alley donated two raffle baskets for our appreciation breakfast and the winners were so excited!
Interested in sponsoring the Center for Hope and Healing for our 5th Annual Family Festival, Sunday August 26th? Reach out to Dimitrios, [email protected].
