Happy 2023 from CLEAR!
We hope this message finds you well. We wish you and your loved ones a healthy and happy new year!
We’d like to thank you for being a friend of CLEAR! Last year was an exciting year of growth and progress for us, and we’re looking forward to many new milestones in 2023. We’re happy to share our work and ways you can be involved in CLEAR!
At CLEAR, we aim to enhance health and well-being for trans and nonbinary individuals in the Baltimore region through research and practice. The three main goals of CLEAR are:
Research. Understand the local landscape of trans and nonbinary health and wellness through surveys and interviews.
Service Linkage. Provide trans-affirming referrals to housing, employment, health, religious, and other services.
Capacity Building. Build capacity among trans and nonbinary people and the providers who serve them through workshops about finances, job skills, insurance, grants, and trans and nonbinary competency trainings.
Last year, we strengthened our program and made progress toward achieving each of our three main goals. We’re excited to build upon this work in 2023!
Strengthening CLEAR
Last year, we grew our team with new trans and nonbinary staff and a trans manager, and we worked closely with team members and external consultants to educate ourselves and become more trauma-informed and antiracist. In 2023, we will build upon those efforts to further strengthen our team. Are you a community member with suggestions about how we can be better at what we do? You can send us your ideas here.
Current Research
In 2022, CLEAR launched two studies that are currently underway; one is related to housing experiences and the other related to COVID-19 pandemic experiences. The goal of both is to produce actionable findings to inform local positive change. We are looking for people to participate in either or both studies and would love your help to get the word out!
Both studies can be conducted virtually (online or by phone) and include a brief survey and an interview that lasts for approximately 1-1.5 hours. Participants will receive $40 for their time. We aim to learn more about housing experiences and housing supports, as well as experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, and hope that the results of these studies will help improve access to health and social services for the trans and nonbinary communities in Baltimore.
You can get involved by spreading the word! Our flyers are here, and potential participants (maybe that’s you?) can reach us at clear.besurebaltimore@gmail.com or 443-840-7846.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming survey!
Soon we will be launching an exciting new study about social issues, health, and services among trans and nonbinary people in the Baltimore region. It was designed with community partners to collect information needed to address critical local priorities for trans and nonbinary people. We hope this will provide a better understanding of challenges and strengths within our communities and will inform better health and social services.
We will reach out with more information when it launches.
Service Linkage
Last year, we updated a community resource guide, and we connected community members with local resources. In 2023, we will continue to build our capacity to connect community members with affirming resources. Do you know of a great resource that we should include? Send it to us at servicelinkage@gmail.com! Do you need resources yourself or know someone who does? You can reach us at servicelinkage@gmail.com.
Capacity Building
Last year, we started preparing a self-paced online training for local housing providers to become more trans and nonbinary competent. We also developed infrastructure for more readily integrating community feedback into our work and sharing the results of our work with the community. In 2023, we will launch the housing provider training and deepen our connections with the community by growing our Community Advisory Board (CAB).
The CAB is made up of trans and nonbinary people who want to help others in the local trans community. CAB members work with staff to enhance all aspects of CLEAR, share feedback from a community perspective, share info and findings; and hold CLEAR accountable for promises to the community. Members attend approximately monthly meetings and are paid for their time. Interested in joining our CAB? Please reach out to us at clear.besurebaltimore@gmail.com or 443-840-7846 for more information!
Thank you for your support of CLEAR. We look forward to continuing collaboration and growth this year, and we hope you’ll keep in touch! All the best to you and yours.