Dear Center Community,
My name is Karina Piu (she/her), Policy and Advocacy Coordinator at The Center and liaison for The Center’s LGBT Veterans Wall of Honor, and I am thrilled to share that The Center, in collaboration with The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), will be hosting a California Transition Assistance Program (CalTAP) workshop for military service members and veterans on August 18 from 9am-1pm at The Center. All service members are welcome to this LGBTQ-affirming space.
Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, we have seen a proliferation of executive orders targeting transgender people across the country, including a military ban against transgender and nonbinary people, stripping qualified and experienced service members of their ability to continue serving in the military. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with removing trans troops from military service while the case is debated in court. Thousands of trans and nonbinary service members now face life-changing separation from service, leaving many of them without stable employment, permanent housing, reliable healthcare, and supportive services that were promised to them by the federal government for their military service.
In light of these attacks on trans rights, The Center is committed to supporting trans and nonbinary service members as they are forced to transition out of military service, as well as all LGBTQ+ service members separating from the military and in need of support. This includes strengthening partnerships with organizations like CalVet, which connects California veterans to their earned benefits through education, advocacy, and direct services.
The Center and CalVet have partnered for a groundbreaking opportunity to bring a CalTAP workshop to our LGBTQ+ military community and allies directly at The Center—a resource historically only provided on military bases. This workshop will include a focus on benefits and resources for our LGBTQ+ service members undergoing separation, and provide information about accessing their earned federal and state benefits, along with other resources and support options as they navigate the return to civilian life.
LGBTQ+ service members, especially trans and nonbinary service members who are now being targeted, deserve full knowledge of their options and access to the benefits they have rightfully earned. This CalTAP workshop will provide a safe space for folks to explore resources, including education benefits, housing resources, legal discharge status changes, healthcare options, employment navigation, and more.
We are thrilled to be able to offer this critical workshop to our community when they need it most, and we invite all LGBTQ+ folks and allies who are service members or veterans to attend. Please RSVP on our website. For any questions, please reach out to advocacy@thecentersd.org.
We are grateful to the organizations that are rising to support our trans and nonbinary military community. CalVet is an extraordinary example of this, committing resources and support to our trans troops during this difficult time. We hope our community members who need this support now will take advantage of this incredible resource.
In community,
Karina Piu (she/her)
Policy and Advocacy Coordinator