TransActive and Tijuana, Mexico Service Organization to Collaborate

Nov. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- As part of it's outreach to families of transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth, Portland, Oregon based TransActive Education & Advocacy has signed an international agreement of collaboration with Centro de Orientacion Psicologica y Sexual (COPS), located in Tijuana, Mexico.

This collaboration represents a dynamic step forward in the expansion of TransActive's 'STAR Training' educational program and its 'Running the RACE' client services Standard of Care to Mexico and hopefully, countries in Latin America and beyond.

COPS is a non-profit that provides mental and sexual health services including counseling and training to professionals throughout Mexico.

"The issues facing transgender children in Mexico are still very much unknown and invisible," says COPS Executive Director Daniel Rodriguez Gamboa, M.S.. "This is an opportunity for us to take the lead in raising awareness and improving the delivery of services to families here in Tijuana, Baja California and throughout Mexico. We could think of no organization better suited to partner with, or better able to provide the resources we need."

The relationship between TransActive and COPS began when Mr. Rodriguez Gamboa accepted an invitation to visit TransActive's Portland offices and spend a week observing staff, interns and volunteers working with children, youth and their families. He also accompanied staff during educational outreach workshops.

"Daniel was very interested in not only expanding the core competency of his staff in Mexico to better serve the needs of transgender children, youth and adults, but also in finding ways to open dialogue about the discrimination children and youth who are gender nonconforming experience," says TransActive Executive Director Jenn Burleton.

"I assured Daniel that intolerance of gender nonconformity was still a major problem in the United States as well, and while we are making progress, particularly in some areas of the U.S., there is still much work to be done in both nations."

As a result of this new relationship, TransActive we be able to make more of its educational and advocacy materials available to Spanish speaking populations throughout Mexico and the United States and reaffirm our strong commitment to multicultural outreach and service provision to underserved populations.

Jenn Burleton recently returned from a visit to Tijuana, Mexico where she presented TransActive STAR Training workshops at the Fronteras Unida Pro Salud medical and reproductive health clinic and to a gathering of psychologists, LGBT advocates and social services providers which was held at the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana. Her visit was sponsored by the U.S. State Department as part of their commitment to reaching out to and serving the needs of members of LGBT communities.

Hector Vindiola, Programs Coordinator at the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana expressed not only gratitude for the visit, but the belief that it represented a first step in establishing new pathways of communition about how to better serve the needs of transgender youth.

"This couldn't have come at a better time for us," said TransActive Executive Director Jenn Burleton. "With November being a month in which we remember transgender victims of violence and hate worldwide, and TransActive's annual Silent Auction just a few weeks away, it's an indication both of the progress we are making and also, of the work that remains to be done."

TransActive's annual SuperHeroes for SuperKids!  Silent Auction and Raffle will be happening on Sunday, December 4th at Refuge PDX, located at 116 SE Yamhill Street from 2:00-5:00 PM. Tickets are available in advance for $15.00 and can be purchased at http://www.transactiveonline.org.

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TransActive is a diverse and motivated volunteer team of people, working together to provide transgender children and youth a present and future in which they can thrive, achieve their dreams and express their individuality.