January 1990

Santa Cruz L & G Earthquake Relief Fund

A massive earthquake made National
Coming Out Day a time of grief rather than
elebration for gays and lesbians in Santa
Cmz this year. Santa Cruz, known nation-
iide as a center for progressive and femi-
iist politics, was at the epicenter of
)ctober’s 7.1 earthquake, a disaster which
aused the loss of over 200 lives and bil-
ions of dollars throughout much of North-
in California.

Without significant help from outside
he area, this disaster will have a dramatic
iid long-term impact on Santa Cruz’s les-
Aian and gay community. Individual com-
iunity members have suffered loss of life,
omes and jobs. In addition to these per-
onal losses, the economic devastation of
ie quake promises to have a debilitating
npact on Santa Cniz’s lesbian and gay or-
anizations.

, At this point, the full extent of the
amages is unknown. But a number of gay
nd/or lesbian households, some of them
Iith children, have been dislocated perma-
ently by the quake. Due to both explicit
omophobia and “guidelines” which nar-
iwly reflect the dominant culture, dis-

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placed gays and lesbians cannot easily find
shelter in county facilities for displaced
families. Nor do these families meet the
guidelines of the FEMA,family grant plan
which might offer monetary aid.

Many individuals within the gay and
lesbian community have suffered a loss of
business or place of employment after the
collapse of commercial enterprises and
human service agencies in Santa Cruz’s
devastated downtown area.

The periodicals and service organiza-
tions which have provided a support system
for Santa Cmz’s gays and lesbians are also
damaged and in need of assistance. Local
alternative periodicals depend heavily on
advertising for financial support. Eco-
nomic losses following the quake have
undercut this financial base, with an esti-
mated 30% of the downtown commercial
district facing necessary demolition.

The Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP)
which relies on community donations for
about40% of its total funding is also threat-
ened by the severe damage to Santa Cruz’s
financial base. The earthquake immedi-
ately caused the cancellation of the local

  

OL  Distinction

(802) 254-8646

Nightclub

Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, a major
fund raiser for SCAP. A number of other
important AIDS fund raisers have been
cancelled due to the quake, including the
annual “Business Aid for AIDS” drive, in
which local business traditionally contrib-
ute a portion of their sales to the AIDS
project. To date, the projectis already about
$9,000 behind in its fund raising and needs
to secure at least $10,000 a month to stay in
operation.

The Santa Cruz lesbian and gay com-
munity is making an urgent appeal to its
friends in other communities across the
country and around the world for emer-
gency support. Money collected will be
divided among individuals and organiza-
tions in the lesbian and gay community
most severely hurt by the quake. Contribu-
tions can be earmarked for specific aspects
of quake relief (i.e., individuals, local gay
media, SCAP) or can be left in the hands of
local community organizers to divide ac-
cording to need. All contributions should
be sent to the Santa Cruz Lesbian and Gay
Earthquake Relief Fund, c/0 MCC PO Box

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