June is Pride Month. The timing marks the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising against a police raid on gay bars in Greenwich Village in 1969. 

For Sacramento and most of the country—and even much of the world—this is when the LGBTQ+ population celebrates its achievements and honors its quest for equal rights. One of those rights, the right to marriage, has allowed the union of 100,000 same-sex couples in California—with more than 5,000 of them in our three-county area.

Other goals may remain elusive—such as 100% acceptance—but parades of hundreds of people hoisting rainbow flags would have been daring not too many years ago.

With all these changes, and even despite them, the LBGTQ+ population has special needs that local community agencies strive to fill. The organizations and resources we list here meet a variety of these needs, along with many others that offer complementary services. Services that could benefit the oftentimes marginalized members of our community.  

This is Pride’s signature event in our area. Sacramento’s festival, produced by the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, resumes in person this year on June 11 and 12 at Capitol Mall. (Placer and El Dorado counties held their festivals in May.) More than 22,000 participants are expected to gather for food, exhibits, information, entertainment, and all-around camaraderie. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days, the march begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday at Southside Park. Admission is $15 for two days or $10 for one. VIP tickets are $150. sacramentopride.org

Besides sponsoring the Pride Festival, the community center offers a range of resources for LGBTQ+ people, including safe daily respite for youths between noon and 6 p.m. Other help includes career coaching and job searches, legal advocacy, HIV testing, mental health counseling, shelter assistance, adult respite on Tuesdays and Thursdays and much more. The Center also makes referrals to LBGTQ+-affirming professionals. Their colorful new home stands at 1015 20th Street, Sacramento. Open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. saccenter.org

A national support group for parents, families, and friends of LGBTQ+ people, this 40-year-old organization holds confidential monthly support and information meetings, advocates for LGBTQ+ issues, presents speakers, and provides information.

The Placerville-El Dorado County chapter (pflagplacerville.org) meets at 6:30 p.m. every fourth Monday of the month at Federated Church, 1031 Thompson Way, Placerville; the Placer County chapter (pflagplacercounty.org) meets at 7 p.m. every second Monday (currently on Zoom) at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, 11815 Education Street, Auburn; and the Sacramento chapter (pflagsacramento.org) meets 7-9 p.m. every third Tuesday at St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 2391 Saint Mark’s Way, Sacramento.

The GEMS focus on the social aspect, support, education, and other needs specifically for male-to-female transgenders—whatever their stage of transition. Check the website (rivercitygems.org) for events.

Other groups with similar missions include Trans* Support Group that meets 4:30-6:30 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at LGBT Community Center; Sutter Gender Identity Support Group (sacgender.org) and TransFamilies Sacramento (sactgc.org) meet at 7 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month at St. Mark’s Methodist Church; TransYouth ([email protected]) for ages 14-23 meets 6-9 p.m. Mondays at the Gender Health Center, Sacramento; FTM Sacramento  ([email protected]) for female-to-male transgenders meets 6-8 p.m. every first Tuesday at the Lavender Library, Sacramento.

This center offers trans-centered healthcare, including a hormone clinic, needle exchange, HIV/STD care, and harm reduction. They also provide education on gender identity and respite referrals and are located at 3823 V Street, Sacramento.
genderhealthcenter.org
For mental health care, NAMI helps with LGBTQ+ issues. namisacramento.org

Zuna advocates for, and addresses the needs of Black lesbians with the goal to eliminate barriers faced within both the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. zunainstitute.org

Like all chambers of commerce, this one offers programs and services to help members succeed in small businesses—but with an emphasis on diversity and inclusivity. The chamber covers six counties. rainbowchamber.com

Metropolitan Community Church was founded in 1968 to include gay worshipers when they were not welcome in other churches. Everyone is embraced at these churches.

The Ripple Effect: A Church For All in North Highlands (4704 Roseville Road, Suite 110) offers crisis intervention, counseling, and training. Sunday service is at noon while Wednesday prayer meetings are at 6:30 p.m. achurchforall.org

Reflection MCC in Folsom (1000 River Rock Way, Suite 114) worships at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. reflectionmcc.org

Several other area churches also welcome LGBTQ+ worshipers: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento (2391 St. Marks Way) includes a Rainbow Alliance that embraces LGBTQ+ worshipers. stmarksumc.com

Episcopal churches traditionally support gay ministries. Trinity Cathedral in Sacramento (trinitycathedral.org) and parishes in Folsom and Cameron Park, among others, are led by gay clergy.