SEAGLA awards six mini grants and opens scholarship fund

Thanks to financial support from the local LGBTQ and ally community at annual Juneau Pride events, namely the Glitz Drag Show, the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ Alliance (SEAGLA) has launched a mini-grant program and opened a scholarship fund.

“The support at Juneau Pride events has been huge — and has grown — these past few years. We have been able to cover our annual operating expenses and pay for a robust Pride celebration, leaving us with a sizable chunk of money to give back to the community,” said James Hoagland, SEAGLA Board Chair, in a press release.

While SEAGLA’s primary focus has been on organizing the annual Juneau Pride week and a handful of social support events throughout the year, the volunteer-run organization does not have the capacity or expertise to provide much-needed social services to LGBTQ individuals.

Through the Community Reinvestment Initiative, SEAGLA can support groups who are already doing that direct service work — or want to — but are limited by funding. Out of 13 applications that were submitted, six were chosen to receive support. The six groups awarded mini-grants are: T-Group (a transgender and non-binary support group in Juneau), Campus Inclusivity Alliance (LGBTQ student group at University of Alaska Southeast), Yaakoosge Daakahidi Alternative High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Game On (Juneau gaming center, starting a Trans Gaming Night), Ketchikan Pride and Community Roots (Wrangell’s LGBTQ organization).

The awards total $3,000.

SEAGLA has also opened a scholarship fund, to be administered by the Pride Foundation as part of its larger scholarship program. The fund has been initiated to give two $2,500 scholarships to an LGBTQ or ally student in Southeast Alaska, one in 2019 and one in 2020. Applicants fill out Pride Foundation’s one scholarship application and will be considered for all of their available scholarships, including this new one. 2019 Scholarship Applications are now open on Pride Foundation’s website.

With the anticipated success of these projects, SEAGLA plans to continue funding them with donations obtained above general operating and Pride expenses. Further information about these awards and more can be obtained at SEAGLA’s Annual Membership Meeting, open to the public, on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Red Dog Saloon Upstairs.

Cancer Connection convenes

Dianne Rishikof, MS, RDN, LDN, IFNCP and President of Health Takes Guts, traveling from Boston, will be this year’s guest presenter on “Your Gut & Your Health” for Cancer Connection’s annual Health Forum.

The event takes place Saturday, Nov. 10, at Centennial Hall, 101 Egan Drive.

This event is free and open to the public. Members of the community are encouraged to attend. Doors open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. Visitors will be able to meet with exhibitors promoting information on health-related goods and services to those who need them.

The presentation begins at noon in the ballroom. Lunch consisting of a salad with pomegranate vinaigrette and artisanal bread with butter, along with rhubarb sorbet is provided. Cancer Connections suggests a $10 donation.