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LGBTQ+ Retirement Planning

David Rae has an article about retirement planning for LGBTQ+ people in Forbes. According to Rae, “More than 3 million LGBT Americans are currently over age 50, and that number is estimated to more than double over the next decade as baby boomers ride in on a rainbow-hued silver wave… There is a retirement planning crisis across the spectrum in America, but many in the LGBTQ+ community are especially at risk of not being able to maintain their standard of living in retirement. Homophobia can hurt the quality of your retirement, whether your net worth is tens of millions of dollars or close to zero.”

Man with no money showing empty wallet

Despite the old stereotype of gay affluence, “When you break it down, heterosexual individuals make more, on average, than LGBT Americans for equal work. This will also mean it is harder for LGBT individuals to participate in wealth-building activities, like properly funding retirement accounts, buying homes, and investing for the future. It may also take longer for LGBT people to pay off student loans. Not to mention, many LGBT students take on more debt after receiving less support from their families after coming out.”

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How 7 hospitals are improving LGBTQ-centered care and reducing discrimination

For Pride Month, Becker’s Hospital Review looks at how 7 hospitals across the country are trying to reduce LGBTQ health care disparities.

“More than half of patients in the LGBTQ community report having faced discrimination in a healthcare setting. Seventy percent of transgender or gender-nonconforming patients said they have experienced discrimination in a healthcare setting, and 56 percent of lesbian, gay or bisexual patients reported facing discrimination in healthcare, according to the Human Rights Campaign’s “Healthcare Equality Index 2020.”

Locally, you can read about what Norton Healthcare is doing to be LGBTQ+ affirming.

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Republic Bank Launches True Name Initiative

Republic Bank just made it a lot easier for transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming propel to have their true name on their debit card! According to their press release, “You can proudly display your chosen name and present your true identity with the Republic Bank Mastercard Debit Card with the True Name feature on personal and business checking accounts. Because whether you are buying groceries or out with friends, you should always be accepted for who you truly are. Republic Bank is one of only three banks currently offering a Mastercard debit card with True Name, and the first community bank to launch this feature.”

The Louisville Pride Festival is proud to have Republic Banik as a sponsor! Find out more about True Name.

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How to change gender on a driver’s license

Brown and white short coated dog wearing sunglasses inside car

The folks over at Bankrate have put together a comprehensive list of the state laws and guidelines on how to change gender on a driver’s license. They verified the information with local groups, including Fauver Law Office of Louisville and the TransKentucky advocacy group.

Below is the current process for Kentucky and Indiana, but information is always subject to change! You can see the full, up-to-date list here: https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/changing-gender-on-license/

Kentucky

Applicants must submit one of the following documents:

1. An updated birth certificate showing their correct gender.
2. A court order of gender change.
3. A 10-year passport showing the correct gender.
4. A letter from a surgeon stating that gender reassignment surgery has been completed.

Indiana

Applicants must submit their birth certificate showing a change of gender or a form signed by a physician certifying that the applicant successfully underwent all treatment necessary to change gender permanently.

View all states

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Free LGBT+ Youth Summer Tech Camps

Person at computer

Here is a great opportunity we are offering to our amazing  LGBT+ community partners about our upcoming National LGBT+ Youth Summer Tech Camps.   Maven Youth is a national nonprofit which provides LGBT+ Youth to network, organize and educate for social change through technology.  We foster a rare safe space for LGBT+ Youth (14-24) to explore careers in tech while learning to code with other LGBT+ Youth across the country.

If you ever looked into sending a young person to a summer coding camp, you will note these camps average a cost of $1000 and up to attend.  We do this FREE and our camps are led by LGBT+ Youth. 

Below are the three summer camps youth can choose from:

  • National Summer Camp – LGBT+ Youth 14-19 yrs of age from around the country.  Learn game design, game development and game art creation.
  • National Systems-Impacted Summer Camp –  A safe space for LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-19 who have personally been or had their family impacted by one of the following systems:
    • Foster care / child welfare system
    • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers
    • Incarceration / jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers
  • Job Readiness Summer Tech Camp – LGBT+ young professionals 19-24 yrs of age.  Get your digital resume ready, build your interviewing competencies and learn coding to be ready to land a job in tech.

National LGBT+ Youth Summer Tech Camp

July 5-16th (2-weeks)

Zoom Live Camp

11am -3pm CST (4hrs a day M-F)

14-19yrs of age

  • Youth will learn to build a video game
  • Meet LGBT+ Tech Professionals and Game Developers in the Industry
  • Safe online space for LGBT+ Youth
  • Youth will discuss social media/tech impact on their lives
  • Youth will learn digital art, game design, coding, much more…
  • NO PRIOR CODING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED to attend our camp

National LGBTQ+ Systems-Impacted Youth Summer Tech Camp

July 19-30th (2-weeks)

Zoom Live Camp

11am -3pm CST (4hrs a day M-F)

14-19yrs of age

This free virtual Summer Tech Camp is focused on providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth ages 14-19 who have personally been or had their family impacted by one of the following systems:

  • Foster care / child welfare system
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers
  • Incarceration / jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers

Black and Pink National, in partnership with Maven Youth, is offering this FREE 2-week virtual summer tech camp for systems-impacted LGBTQ+ youth across the US.  This camp is led by amazing LGBTQ+ youth who walk participants through all the coding and digital art workshops.

Black & Pink National is a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support and organizing.

 

National Job Readiness Summer Tech Camp

August 2-20th (3-weeks)

Zoom Live Camp

11am -3pm CST (4hrs a day M-F)

19-24yrs of age

  • Learn to code a video game & mobile app
  • Meet LGBT+ Tech Professionals and Game Developers in the Industry to discuss careers in tech
  • Build your Linkedin Resume with the team the Pride Group @Linkedin
  • Network discussion on leadership, tech readiness for LGBT+ future workforce employee
  • Youth will learn digital art, game design, coding, much more..
  • NO PRIOR CODING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED to attend our camp
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Louisville Pride Festival returns for 2021!

The Festival will be September 18

 

The Festival will be September 18
The Sixth Louisville Pride Festival will be September 18, 2021

The Louisville Pride Festival will be returning for its sixth year on Saturday, September 18. The Festival was held every year from 2015-2019. In 2020, the Foundation launched a Digital Pride initiative to deliver virtual programming and organized a Day of Service when the Festival could not be held, due to COVID-19.

The Louisville Pride Festival is an annual street fair and concert that is held on Bardstown Road, in Louisville’s Highlands neighborhood, and features food and drink, over 100 vendors, national entertainers and local performers, a Wellness Zone, and a Family Area. Approximately 20,000 people attended the event in 2019. The event is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and is open to everyone.

The Festival is organized and produced by the Louisville Pride Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to open an LGBTQ+ Community Center. “Moving the Center project forward has been challenging during COVID, but we are currently negotiating a lease on a great location. We hope to cut the ribbon by the time the Festival is here,” said Mike Slaton, executive director of the Louisville Pride Foundation.

“We are grateful to our donors, volunteers, and sponsors for sticking with us, especially Ford and UAW, who have been our presenting sponsors every year,” Slaton said. The Foundation received support from My Financing USA, the Gheens Foundation, Ford Motor Company, the United Auto Workers, US Bank, Norton Healthcare, GE, Republic Bank, Tito’s Vodka, Rounsavall Title Group, Caperton Realty, and JustFund KY.

Established in 2014, the Louisville Pride Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes Louisville as one community that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion for all, and embraces the LGBTQ+ community. The foundation seeks to promote this unity between LGBTQ+ people and straight allies by engaging in a conversation with the broader community about what makes us one while celebrating what makes us different.

 

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Web Updates: Pardon our dust!

We are currently conducting maintenance on our website, so some news articles, membership data, directory listings, and event data may be temporarily inaccessible. We hope to be completed and have everything back up shortly!

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Mental Health Resources and Opportunities

A  roundup of local resources and opportunities related to queer mental health.

Gender Journey Teen Therapy Group at Mandala House

This online therapy group offers support and skill building for teens (ages 14-19) who are transgender, nonbinary, gender expansive, or questioning their gender. Topics covered include assertive communication, self-advocacy, coping skills, peer and family relationships, and accessing gender affirming healthcare. Much of group’s content comes from The Gender Quest Workbook, and individuals joining the group are encouraged to have access to their own copy.

The group meets virtually on Wednesdays at 4 PM and is led by Ariel Brooks, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Mandala House. For more information, contact [email protected] or call Mandala House at 502-309-2408.

 

IDEA Study: Free Program for LGBTQ People with Memory Loss

Are you an LGBTQ+ person experiencing or caring for someone with dementia? This program may offer resources for you. Aging with Pride: IDEA (Innovations in Dementia Empowerment and Action) is a study about the quality of life for LGBTQ+ people who experience memory loss or care for someone experiencing memory loss. The program offers 9 free coaching sessions for the person with memory loss and their caregiver. Coaching will focus on building skills around communication, problem solving, and using exercise as a coping tool. Participants will also participate in 5 interviews and be compensated with a total of $125 for their participation in the study.

For more information, visit https://ageidea.org/. You can also contact Amy Cunningham, MS, at [email protected].

 

LGBTQ+ affirming counselor job opening at Deer Park

Do you know an LGBTQ+ affirming counselor looking for a new work opportunity? Baptist Health Medical Group has an opening at their Deer Park location for a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) or licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). Interested applicants must be licensed, have the ability to provide clinical supervision, and have knowledge of cognitive and behavioral therapy concepts.

Click here for more information. You can also reach the practice manager, Nicholas Martin, at [email protected].

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Metro Savings Progeram

Louisville Metro Government offers a free savings program that connects you to a financial coach who can help you to achieve your goals. Not ready to save? Behind on bills? Stuck at step one? AcceLOUrate Savings can help! Contact a coach to work with you on your financial plan. Offices are at South Central Neighborhood Place, Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place, and Ujima Neighborhood Place, but coaches can serve anyone. All appointments are virtual during COVID-19.

Learn more about Accelourate savings

 

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Metro Financial Navigators Can Help You Access Benefits

Do you need help managing your money or accessing public programs because of COVID-19?

Louisville Metro Government, in partnership with The Louisville Housing and Opportunities Micro-Enterprise Community Development Loan Fund (LHOME) has launched a no-cost Financial Navigator Program. You can receive assistance and guidance over the phone to help you manage the financial impact of COVID-19.

Trained Financial Navigators are available to help you manage financial issues, identify actions steps, and make referrals to other programs and services. To sign up for Financial Navigator assistance, go to https://finnav.org/lou or email [email protected]

What Does a Financial Navigator Do?

During your free 30-minute session, Navigators can help you address concerns including:

  • Prioritizing daily expenses like housing, utilities, and food
  • Maximizing income through accessing benefits, emergency cash assistance, and emergency loans
  • Managing debt including credit cards, student loans, and child support
  • Avoiding predatory scams
  • Budgeting for future loss of income

The Navigator will help you prioritize concerns and expenses and identify next steps. Please note—Financial Navigators do not provide financial assistance.