Entre Hermanos staff at the organization’s annual Pride Picnic
Entre Hermanos is a community-based organization that offers Latine cultural and health services to the LGBTQ+ community in a space that is affirming, safe and supportive. The organization’s founders sought to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis locally with programs deeply connected to Latine language and cultural roots, surrounded by the warmth, love and care of their LGBTQ+ siblings. For over 33 years, Entre Hermanos has promoted the health and well-being of the Latine LGBTQ+ community through disease prevention, HIV awareness and sexual health education, advocacy, community building and cultural celebration.
Entre Hermanos also serves clients in areas surrounding King County, and in Central and Eastern Washington who need critical health, housing and immigration services — services made available by Entre Hermanos without cost, in Spanish and other languages, to sexually diverse Latines, and without regard for immigration status. The organization reaches more than 7,000 annually, including 1,000 people who receive direct medical and non-medical higher-touch intervention through STD testing, PrEP navigation and HIV medical case management; light-touch outreach and education via radio and social media; and condom distribution to 6,000 individuals annually.
The organization’s inclusive social media and community education videos are produced in Spanish and five Indigenous languages of Mexico and Central America. Entre Hermanos seeks ways to serve those who are excluded from access to LGBTQ+ health services, knowing what it is like to navigate complicated health systems with barriers such as language, sexuality, race, gender, and socioeconomic and educational attainment. Many of its clients are immigrants with dreams of a stable and safe future, and its wrap-around services in housing, immigration law, and outreach and navigation help its clients attain safety during the most critical period in their lives. Today, Entre Hermanos continues to strive for progress and expand upon its support services.
Entre Hermanos is one of more than 70 partners in the Seattle Symphony’s Community Connections program, which provides complimentary tickets to nonprofit organizations across the Puget Sound region.
ABOUT THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Photo by: The Seattle Times
The Seattle Symphony is recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR) and is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 27 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 750,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts, and through the Seattle Symphony+ streaming app, the orchestra’s concerts reach audiences at home and around the world
Community Corner highlights the work of Seattle Human Services’ community partners in their own words. Our goal is to gather stories and photos that illustrate their amazing work on behalf of the people of Seattle. This post highlights Entre Hermanos.
Entre Hermanos team during our Annual Pride Picnic in the Park.
What is the role your organization fulfills in your community?
Entre Hermanos is a “by and for” community-based organization that offers Latine cultural and health services to the LGBTQ+ community in a space that is affirming, safe, and supportive. We improve health and well-being for the Latine LGBTQ+ community through wraparound support services, legal immigration consultation and representation, support for prevention of HIV and care for those living with HIV, media outreach on Latine and LGBTQ+ issues, education and advocacy for human rights and civic engagement, and community building and cultural celebration.
Every year we reach more than 7,000 people in the greater Seattle community, including 1,000 who receive direct medical and non-medical higher-touch interventions through STD testing, PrEP navigation, and HIV medical case management; and 6,000 through light-touch outreach and education via radio and social media, LGBTQ+, Cultural, and Health fairs, and condom distribution. Our services are free of charge, without regard to immigration status or insurance coverage, and all activities are conducted in Spanish and Central American indigenous languages.
How does your partnership with Seattle Human Services (HSD) assist you in that role?
Entre Hermanos is grateful for a supportive community, talented and committed staff, and the support of health champions like HSD. As an organization, we are dedicated to ensuring that our clients’ holistic and intersecting needs can be met, and HSD has helped us do this through funding our projects like Arts in the Park, Health and Education campaigns, and more. We’ve also benefitted from the partnership through increasing our connections to the City’s leadership, especially through our involvement in LGBTQ+ initiatives.
What is your organization’s origin story?
We were created by a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Latinos/as who were responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Washington state in 1990. Our founders sought to address the need for social, educational, and health support services with programs deeply connected to our language and cultural roots, surrounded by the warmth, love, and care of our LGBTQ+ siblings being affected by HIV/AIDS. While we started as an organization that serves people with HIV, we now attend to the many ways our clients are vulnerable while remaining true to our mission to promote the health and well-being of the Latine LGBTQ+ community. For more than three decades, we have honored that legacy by continuing to raise HIV awareness, provide sexual health education, and basic needs support to our people while providing culturally and linguistically sensitive services for clients who face complex marginalization due to their immigration and documentation status, sexuality, poverty, or gender.
How has your organization grown or developed in recent years?
In our 33rd year of service, Entre Hermanos continues marching into the future, on the road to justice, striving for progress, and expanding our support services to sexually diverse Latinx individuals in Washington. In recent years, we’ve added new programs like housing assistance for clients on PrEP, legal representation focused on transgender asylum seekers, and trans peer navigation. Our programs have had a lot of support within the city of Seattle, and we’re excited to announce that in the next year we are replicating this program model and opening an office in rural Yakima. Many Hispanic/Latinx people live in rural Yakima, but members of the LGBTQ+ community in that area have little access to culturally and linguistically sensitive services that are LGBTQ+ affirming. Since 2019, we have grown from eight staff members to 29 staff members, and there is still a great need to increase our services.
Entre Hermanos employees: Elio, Yesenia, Alejandra, and Alec during LatinX Pride 2024 outreach.
Why is it important for HSD and City of Seattle taxpayers to invest in community-led work?
Being led by members of the immigrant Latine LGBTQ+ community means we have the in-house Spanish-language, cultural competency, and expertise in LGBTQ issues that equips us to meet the overlapping needs of clients who are new immigrants, Spanish-speakers, and individuals who are undocumented, uninsured, and transgender. We have seen many situations where clients come to us and finally feel safe enough to be themselves fully, share their needs and accept help. Having HSD and City of Seattle taxpayers invest in community-led work like this is critical to decreasing communication barriers, providing a sense of safety for marginalized communities, and truly meeting people’s holistic and intersecting needs. Organizations like ours are community assets that create a more vibrant and healthy community for all.
How do your programs and services help to reduce the disparities experienced by people of color living in our region?
There are troubling racial and ethnic disparities in access to healthcare. In our region, Latine have an uninsurance rate three and a half times the average and they are more than twice as likely to not see a doctor because of cost. Language and cultural barriers also affect access to HIV prevention and care with new HIV diagnoses in the King County Latine population disproportionately affecting people born outside of the US. Health inequities are also significant among the LGBTQ+ community. Men who have sex with men accounted for 68 percent of new HIV cases in King County in 2020 and the risk of acquiring HIV is 25 times higher among men who have sex with men than the general population.
Similar disparities exist in legal systems with LGBTQ+ migrants particularly vulnerable to discrimination and violence. We know from our own experience what it is like to navigate foreign health, legal, or social systems with barriers such as language, sexuality, race, gender, and socio-economic and educational attainment. Many of our clients are immigrants with dreams and visions of a stable and safe future. Our wraparound services in housing, immigration law, outreach and navigation services, and support groups help them attain safety during the most critical period in their lives, reducing disparities and contributing to a region where everyone has an opportunity to live in the fullness of community.
Tell us an example of how a City-funded program or service impacted the life of one of your community members?
One of the things we enjoy most is the opportunity to gather our community in open spaces. In past years, Arts in the Park funding has allowed us to host cultural, art, community, and healing gatherings focused on our connection to each other. From hosting a traditional ‘carne asada’ with music and sunshine to hosting Entre Hermanos’ 9th Annual Pride Picnic or a movie screening in the park; we are grateful for the opportunities to be in community unburdened and in celebration during these events.
And while we gather community, we take the opportunity to share our stories of resilience and organizational opportunities. Arts in the Park-funded Entre Hermanos events have served as an introduction to Entre Hermanos for many newcomers to the area. One such story is from a person named Amerik. Amerik attended one of our events and soon after began volunteering with Entre Hermanos. Their passion for culture, trans lives, and community, saw them go from a client/volunteer to a staff member in 2022.
As Amerik continues to grow as a social services professional, helping others navigate systems, they carry forward the legacy of Entre Hermanos, and continue building safety and stability in their own life. It is a beautiful journey to witness and that is the impact we want to achieve.
Entre Hermanos employees: Amerike, Macarena, Rafael and Emilio during a community outreach event.
What motivates your staff or keeps you going?
We are proud of our own collective intersectionality experience, which makes us look for ways to serve those who are excluded in other contexts, and love working within our culture to serve those who have been pushed aside due to language, sexuality, race, or gender. We know how important a sense of safety is to our clients because we’ve faced the same challenges, and every day we strive to cultivate a transformative and gracious space where people can live their most authentic and empowering identities. We are proud of each of our wins and proud to help provide those in our communities with support to enable them to better navigate complex healthcare, housing, and immigration systems on their own terms.
An article from WA Department of Health Newsletter
DOH 150-158 February 2024 HCS Newsletter
We want the community to learn about the wonderful work Entre Hermanos does for the LGBTQ+ Latino Community in Washington State. So we asked Entre Hermanos Executive Director, Edgar Longoria, to help us achieve this by answering a series of questions to clearly define the importance of this organizations role in providing community services. Who is Entre Hermanos and for how long has it served the community? We are an organization with roots in the community. Everything we do is community-based and we do it in ways that are culturally affirming, safe, and supportive. We were created to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Washington State in the early 1990’s. Our founders wanted to support members of the LGBTQ+ Latino community regardless of their immigration status.
For over 33 years we have honored that legacy by promoting health and well-being for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. The work we do is rooted in love, care, and support.
Who are your clients? We serve sexually diverse Latinx people, including transgender immigrants. Most of our clients reside or work in King County and surrounding areas, but we also see clients from Central or Eastern Washington. Clients that come from afar are drawn by a need for our integrated services in health, housing, and immigration.
What services does Entre Hermanos provide? We provide testing services for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We also provide HIV medical case management and help remove barriers to transportation and other essential needs. We offer preventive services such as PrEP navigation and condom distribution. We do light-touch outreach and education via radio and social media. We have wrap-around services in housing and immigration law. Every year we reach over 7,000 people in our community. Our services are free of charge in Spanish and indigenous languages from Central America. Our staff speak the same language as our clients. This helps decrease communication barriers and provides a sense of safety to clients. Our cultural experience helps us understand clients’ holistic and intersecting needs.
Joel Aguirre interviews a community member on an episode of an Entre Hermanos podcast
What makes you proud of the work Entre Hermanos does? I am proud of our collective intersectionality experience. It makes us look for ways to serve those who are excluded in other contexts. We know from our own experience what it is like to be pushed aside due to our languages, sexualities, races, and genders. Our collective intersectionality experience helps us understand client’s holistic and intersecting needs. And we can meet these needs through case management related to medical care, housing assistance, support groups, and more. I am also proud of the way we cultivate a transformative and gracious space where people can live their most authentic and empowering selves.
Is there anything else you would like to share? Yes. Very soon Entre Hermanos will expand our reach to the community. We are excited to announce that are opening an office in rural Yakima. This was possible thanks to a Congressional Direct Spending project from Senator Patty Murray. We hope to be ready to roll this out by next year. This office will help us expand our holistic programs on HIV care and prevention, legal representation, prevention education outreach via radio, and more. Rural areas in Eastern Washington are home to many Hispanic/Latinx individuals.Members of the LGBTQ+ community in those areas have little access to culturally and linguistically sensitive services that are LGBTQ+ affirming.Our presence hopes to change that. We want to continue marching into the future, on the road to justice, striving for progress, and expanding our services to sexually diverse Latinx individuals in Washington.
Pictured above, (from left to right): Cameron, Mario Gil Samaniego, Eloy Armendariz, Audencio, Rafael Sodi, Emmanuel Arjona, Jazmin, Amerique Marquez
We are blessed with a supportive community, talented and committed staff, and the support of health champions, like you. Thank you for taking the time to learn about Entre Hermanos. We look forward to future opportunities to advance the health and wellbeing of all LGBTQ+ people in Washington State. Thank you for your support!
Contributor: Edgar Longoria Executive Director, Entre Hermanos
The executive order of June 4 restricting entry and suspending access to asylum has serious ramifications for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. It is disappointing that at the very beginning of our community’s celebration of pride, we are faced with new barriers to justice.
So many members of our community have suffered persecution, violence, and assassination simply because of who they are and who they love. These new restrictions on asylum will directly increase the number of deaths for LGBTQ refugees, both in their home countries and in the border regions. Transwomen in particular are subjected to astonishingly vicious levels of hate and violence, demonstrated by the ongoing death toll in many of our neighboring countries. The executive order does not reflect the most basic of human rights—the right to live and love. The members of our community deserve safety, refuge, and respect as they seek to simply be who they are. We urge the Biden Administration to implement policy which is in line with the human rights of our Latinx siblings and with the humanitarian values which should inform our immigration policies. We call for an asylum system consistent with both justice and our international obligations which recognizes the plight of all refugees, especially in the LGBTQ+ community. We must process many more cases of refugee status for our community through our embassies and consular offices worldwide. We must simplify and uphold due process for all asylum seekers both at the border and in our immigration courts. In the end, we must approve many more cases.
Entre Hermanos has firsthand knowledge of the suffering of asylum seekers. We also know the richness, beauty, and joy which they bring to us. We stand with the newly arrived in this month of pride, knowing that our own struggle for justice is far from complete.
Robert Foss Entre Hermanos Director of Legal Services
Entre Hermanos provides culturally based care and support to the Latino LGBTQ+ community
Low-barrier and confidential HIV prevention and outreach efforts are expanding into Yakima community
Success is built by reducing language and cultural barriers and fostering a feeling of community
Nearly 40 years ago, a group of Seattle friends came together to create a support network for those feeling the impact of the HIV epidemic.
Fast-forward to today: They’re known as Entre Hermanos, and their mission — to promote the health of the Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) community — has spread not just city- or statewide, but globally.
The key to Entre Hermanos’ success is a culturally based approach to disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy and community building.
“Most of our Latino community are immigrants. It’s well known that if you change your environment or where you live, there’s a shock,” explains Martha Zuniga, Entre Hermanos deputy director. “We try to keep the cultural part within our care and services, create a sense of family and a place where you can feel safe and express yourself.”
Part of that mission means understanding clients need more than just health care support. People’s priorities are food, housing and keeping their family together — then they start thinking about themselves and health care, Zuniga says.
“When people see themselves reflected in the culture of our space, it builds a sense of trust and comfort. They know when speaking to someone on our team that they share a cultural understanding or very similar life experiences.”
Entre Hermanos provides support across all those key areas, including HIV prevention and education (how and where to receive medication, medical follow-up and testing), connection to food, housing and transportation services, and immigration support through an in-house legal team.
Through these wraparound services, Entre Hermanos reaches more than 7,000 people annually. This includes 1,000 who receive direct intervention through sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) navigation and HIV medical case management, and 6,000 who receive free condoms through outreach efforts, says Edgar Longoria, Entre Hermanos executive director.
Medical case managers currently support 200 individuals, and the legal team has more than 90 active cases.
Growing the reach of Entre Hermanos
Recognizing these needs expand far beyond King County, Entre Hermanos is expanding to other areas of the state, including the Yakima community.
“Reaching Yakima has been a dream of ours for a long time,” Zuniga says. “We have people coming and driving from Yakima, the Tri-Cities, Spokane and Wenatchee to get services here because on that side of the state, there’s nothing similar for them.”
As of the 2022 census, Hispanic- or Latino-identifying people accounted for almost 53 percent of the Yakima County population, with the vast majority listing Spanish as their first language.
Many may also speak a language other than English or Spanish, as they’ve come from Cuba, Nicaragua, Chile or Colombia, Zuniga adds.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, critical information was available in English and Spanish, but so many people were missed, she says. With the support of the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Entre Hermanos produced informative videos in numerous languages to ensure everyone had access.
Finding support and services in your language is important because things can easily get lost in translation, explains Eduardo Esparza, a Yakima-based nonmedical case manager with Entre Hermanos.
“I have clients who will call me because the pharmacy tells them they can’t fill their medication. What they think is, ‘They don’t want to give me my medication,’ instead of understanding their coverage is expired,” Esparza says. “So that’s when I make some calls to let their medical case manager know what the situation may be so we can address it to solve the problem.”
Yakima has some resources, but Spanish language may not be an option, he explains. And if people do find providers who speak Spanish, the way services are provided may not reflect their culture, Zuniga adds. Trust may be missing as a result.
Culture is the basis for trust
“When people see themselves reflected in the culture of our space, it builds a sense of trust and comfort,” explains Longoria. “They know when speaking to someone on our team that they share a cultural understanding or very similar life experiences.”
Working with case managers who carry that cultural connection also helps build confidence and understanding of treatment, explains Alejandra Grillo-Roa, Entre Hermanos prevention and care program manager.
“We’ll never ask immigration status or charge for our services. It’s free and confidential and it’s all done with love,” Grillo-Roa says. “They don’t need an interpreter to express how they feel, which, if they’re in crisis, it’s important they don’t have to talk through someone else.”
Entre Hermanos helps clients sign up for all the HIV coverage they’re eligible for with DOH, then schedules their first primary care appointment at a trusted clinic, Grillo-Roa explains. HIV case managers may accompany clients to their first appointment and follow up to ensure they understood everything.
The PrEP navigation program is one of Entre Hermanos’ most utilized — the team connects clients with financial assistance for their medication and gender-affirming care and supports them through name changes and hormone or surgical treatments.
“We want to make sure there’s no lapse in what they need,” Grillo-Roa says. “We don’t have a timeline for how long they stay with us. We’ve had clients for 11 years, and some who need more services and work with a nonmedical case manager as well, while others become more independent and just check in with us.”
Regardless of how much support clients need, Esparza sees his most important role as being a safe person to come to.
“I also work part-time at a retail store and sometimes I get to interact with the community, and they’ll tell me or ask me about my work at Entre Hermanos,” he says. “They start opening up and telling me about their orientation and if we have stuff to help.”
Once a month, Esparza refills his supply of condoms to have on hand when people in the community ask for help. They’re expensive in the store, and many people may be reluctant to go to Entre Hermanos in person because it could raise questions about their sexual orientation, he explains.
“In rural areas there’s definitely a lack of visibility,” Longoria adds. “We know why people are hesitant to be out and proud in small communities, but we bring that sense of community and acceptance with our services. That’s something you can’t replace.”
Leading the change
In addition to providing critical support services and connection, Entre Hermanos is a leader in advocacy and building a better future for the next generation.
“Our visibility is really important, but our needs are also very similar to other large communities and organizations,” Longoria says. “More recently we’ve been focused on our coalition efforts.”
Entre Hermanos works closely with various city and state commissions focused on LGBTQ+, Latino and immigrant issues, and has a presence at many rallies, health fairs and community events.
“Thankfully, in Washington we have a lot of support through partners, funders and donors, which makes a big difference,” Longoria adds. “But we also recognize that the work we do here, in large part due to social media and the internet, reaches places we never thought it would.”
People in Central America are resharing Entre Hermanos’ posts and thanking them, he says. Grillo-Roa adds they’ve had new clients come in who heard about their program before moving to the United States.
Whether it’s through traditional channels like the website and social media, or peer support groups, community events or podcasts, it’s important to continue growing awareness, Grillo-Roa says.
It takes time to build that trust, especially in a new community. She hopes people find them and know they’re a safe place, free of judgment.
“Partnering for healing and a healthy future” is MultiCare’s mission, and it inspires us to form connections that help improve the quality of life for our communities. Community organizations all around us are doing amazing work, and we’re inspired and excited to support that work.
Stories from our Community is an ongoing series conceived to dive into some of these organizations*, bring their stories to life and spread the word about how they are making our communities better.
*Some of the organizations profiled in this series are recipients of MultiCare’s Community Partnership Fund, which awards funds to nonprofit organizations working on initiatives, programs and projects that improve our community.
Samantha Malott is an editorial content specialist and brings her love for storytelling to the MultiCare Inland Northwest region to shine a spotlight on the excellent staff, providers, patients and community partners in our community.
One of our team members was recently interviewed by KIMA, about our work and impact in Eastern Washington. Click the link below to check out our article!
Our goal is to help people communicate accurately and respectfully with one another. One thing to note: Language changes.
Understanding Pronouns –
What’s a pronoun, why they matter, and what to do if you make a mistake?
What’s a pronoun? Pronouns are related to gender identity and expression, but there aren’t specific pronouns for specific genders. We use pronouns most often when referring to someone without using their name.
Example: Have you heard from Javier? HE hasn’t texted me back all day. (He is the pronoun)
Why they matter? It’s a simple way to affirm their identity. As well as it’s a way to let them know that you see them, you affirm them during a time when they’re being targeted by so many discriminatory anti-trans state laws and policies.
What if you make a mistake? It happens, we all make mistakes! Correct yourself quickly and move on. The best thing to do is use the correct pronouns the next time. If someone corrects you say, “thank you.” Don’t forget, do better!
Tips: Consider meeting someone to practice. For every time you get it wrong, do it right 3 times.
Explain each one:
He/Him/His: are gender-identity pronouns that are usually used to refer to people who identify as “men or boys.”
She/Her/Hers: is a set of gender-identity pronouns used to refer to people who identify as “women or girls.”
They/Them/Theirs: For many trans, non-binary, or gender non-conforming people, using they/them pronouns enable them to navigate the world in a non-gendered way and have their identity reflected to them in a respectful way. These set of pronouns are used as gender neutral pronouns to refer to a single person.
He/They or She/They: That means you can use both pronouns, and you can alternate between those when referring to them. Either pronoun would be fine. The best approach is to listen to how people refer to themselves or ask.
Tittle: Acting Executive Director at Entre Hermanos
Phone: 206.274.1510
Email: robert@entrehermanos.org
Entre Hermanos Statement for: Roe v. Wade
Entre Hermanos stands for equality and human rights. This week an opinion draft from the Supreme Court of the United States was leaked where the Court’s majority voted to overturn what has been the law of the Land for close to 50 years, Roe v. Wade. In that seminal case, the Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution protects women’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without strict government interference. The Court’s apparent intent is to effectively abolish the recognition of women’s right to choose.
Here at Entre Hermanos we not only support a woman’s right to choose, but also condemn actions that limit said right. Part of believing and advocating for equality and human rights is to back other marginalized groups in society to achieve their own potential and live freely without inequity. Therefore, it is imperative to stand with women and their freedom to choose; not doing so – morally and factually – would contradict what we believe in. The right to choose is fundamental, abortion care is healthcare.
It is important to note that until the Court’s opinion is published, Roe v. Wade remains valid. Nevertheless, women’s right to choose is unquestionably under attack in our country. As a result, we call everyone to action to make our voices be heard and protect women’s rights. As it has been quoted so many times in the past, women’s rights are human rights.
Tittle: Acting Executive Director at Entre Hermanos
Phone: 206.274.1510
Email: robert@entrehermanos.org
Entre Hermanos Statement for: Florida “Don’t Say Gay Bill” and Texas Gov. declares trans medical case child abuse & orders investigation of supportive parents
Entre Hermanos stands for equality and human rights for the LGBTQIA+ community. This past day was horrific with the news about two efforts that stand squarely against equal rights – First, the Florida “Don’t Say Gay Bill” and second “Texas Trans Medical Case Child Abuse”.
Florida House of Republicans on Tuesday advanced a bill to prohibit discussions of sexual orientation and gender identities in schools. The “Don’t Say Gay Bill” is set to come to debate, and a full House vote next week. The “Don’t Say Gay Bill” outlines what seems to be one of the most controversial topics in this week’s news. Essentially the bill would require:
The school district to ban the teaching of LGBTQIA+ topics in the classroom.
Schools to “not encourage” discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in primary grade levels, or in a manner that is not “age-appropriate” or “developmentally appropriate” for students.
Parents that feel their student was subjected to a discussion, or educated about, gender identity and sexual orientation have the right to take legal action and sue the school district for violating the bill.
*Florida House Bill 1557, if passed, would take effect this year – on July 1, 2022.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is demanding the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate parents who support their transgender children and allow them access to gender affirming medical care prescribed by their doctors in a letter sent to the agency yesterday.
Last year, the Texas legislature tried and failed to pass S.B. 1646, a bill that would have declared parents who allow their trans children to take puberty blockers or hormone therapy to be child abusers. Earlier this week, the attorney general of Texas, Republican Ken Paxton, issued a non-binding opinion stating that gender affirming health care for transgender youth is a form of child abuse. And his main reasoning for calling gender affirming care child abuse is that trans people might not be able to make babies with certain kinds of gender affirming care. Paxton said, “Each of the ‘sex change’ procedures and treatments enumerated above, when performed on children, can legally constitute child abuse”. Sex-change operations and puberty blockers prescribed to kids is “child abuse” under Texas law.
Here at Entre Hermanos we stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ communities in Florida and Texas because we believe in freedom and equality, and no one deserves to be held back from living their authentic selves. We serve to provide a health environment to our community by supporting the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community. For us, is horrifying to see how things are going backwards in some parts of the country with all the advances the world has achieved in the past years. We believe that supporting your kid is not illegal nor is it child abuse. “This is a fight, that we will do for everyone, because we all deserve a better place to live with no judgement and with inclusion for all.” – Robert Foss, Entre Hermanos Acting Executive Director.
Gracias a la herramienta digital del estado, la población de Washington puede acceder de manera fácil a sus registros de vacunación contra la COVID-19.
OLYMPIA. El Departamento de Salud del Estado de Washington (DOH, por su sigla en inglés) se complace en compartir que WA Verify, el sistema de registro digital de verificación de la COVID-19 del estado, ha generado con éxito más de un millón de códigos QR para la población de Washington, lo que permite a las personas proporcionar un comprobante digital de su estado de vacunación contra la COVID-19 de manera más fácil y rápida.
La Oficina de Innovación y Tecnología del DOH trabajó en estrecha colaboración con los socios de MITRE, Microsoft y el estado de California para crear WAVerify.org (VerificaWA.org). Desde su lanzamiento en octubre de 2021, WA Verify ha creado 1,000,057 códigos QR, y seguimos contando. Además, actualmente admite más de 40 idiomas.
“Gracias a WA Verify, la población de Washington de todo el estado ha podido acceder con éxito a sus registros digitales de vacunación contra la COVID-19 para usar como comprobante en negocios, restaurantes y eventos, entre otros”, expresó el secretario de Salud Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH. “Si aún no ha utilizado esta herramienta, lo alentamos a que lo haga hoy mismo. Es fácil de usar, rápida y práctica. Además, le permite tener siempre a mano el comprobante de vacunación contra la COVID-19”.
WA Verify recopila los registros relacionados con la COVID-19 del sistema de vacunación del estado. Para utilizar esta herramienta, las personas ingresan su nombre, fecha de nacimiento y dirección de correo electrónico o número de teléfono asociados con su registro de vacunación. Si la información coincide con el registro oficial, recibirán un mensaje de texto o un correo electrónico con un enlace para acceder a su registro digital de verificación de la COVID-19. El registro digital incluye un código QR que, cuando se escanea mediante un lector de tarjeta de salud SMART, muestra la información sobre la vacunación contra la COVID-19 de la persona. Además, puede añadirse de manera fácil a las carteras digitales de Android o iPhone, o imprimirse en papel.
Aquellos que recibieron una dosis adicional o una dosis de refuerzo después de generar su código QR inicial a través de WA Verify tendrán que repetir el proceso para recibir un código QR actualizado que refleje su estado de vacunación actualizado. Para asegurarse de que la información de vacunación actualizada ha sido enviada al registro de vacunación estatal, el DOH recomienda que las personas esperen al menos tres días después de vacunarse para recuperar su registro digital de verificación y el código QR a través de WA Verify.
Encontrará información adicional en la sección de preguntas frecuentes del sitio web de WA Verify. Las personas que tengan preguntas o necesiten ayuda para acceder a los registros de vacunación pueden llamar a la línea directa estatal de información sobre la COVID-19 al 1-800-525-0127 y, luego, presionar #. Se ofrece asistencia lingüística.
