Another valuable resource de-funded.

On October 2nd 2009 staff from an organization named El la held an "action planning meeting" in hopes of getting "input, ideas and help so they can keep El/La's doors open and to continue providing services to a community that is already under served and ostracized." As of October 2009 El la will no longer get the much needed funds from the City and County of San Francisco, and according to Alexandra Byerly, the program director at Ella, "there will be lay-offs" and the very survival of that organization is at risk. El la helps transgender Latina/o's survive through human rights advocacy, empowerment, education and HIV prevention and awareness, but as of October 1st they will not receive funds from the City government.

Due to a financial snafu the San Francisco Department of Public Health was forced to re-issue an RFP for the money that was previously available and acquired by El La's fiscal agent. The money was initially for HIV prevention and awareness, but due to need El la grew into something much bigger. And as a result, other entities were able to bid on the contract/money, and unfortunately, according to Grant Colfax Director of DPH HIV prevention and research department, El La's proposal wasn't strong enough, therefore they were not awarded the money. Mr. Colfax did state they are committed to "continuing serving the people that were touched and helped by El la", and the money will still be used to help with HIV prevention and awareness.

El la's annual budget is $150,000 and Alexandra Byerly Program Coordinator for El/La Program Para TransLatinas in the Mission says they will seek out grants and plead for help because she believes that organization is well worth saving and provides much needed help to an "already under served and ostracized" community.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty attended the meeting and stated he has gave them a $10,000 grant, and admits it is not enough, but his office will continue to help.

And representative's from the San Francisco Human Rights Commission were on hand to offer their services to the community. Larry Brinkin and Theresa Sparks re-iterated, our services are free, bi-lingual, and says HRC is there to help with employment discrimination enforcement, housing discrimination, health care discrimination and public accommodations discrimination. Sparks says we are located at 25 Van Ness, and says please feel free to call 415-252-2500 or visit the website, HRC for more information on all they offer.

Representatives from Mark Leno's office also attended and they said they will do their part to help and agreed that El La was offering valuable support and survival skills for a community that is "under served and ostracized," daily, and murdered at an alarming rate.

"I was only able to view HRC';s website in English."(hint, hint)