2012 Membership Campaign

Our 2012 Membership Campaign is underway.  If you would like to renew your membership or make a donation, please click on the red Donate button on the right side of our home page or go directly to donate.defrank.org.  Click the Read More button below to read the 2011 is Review that was emailed to members and past donors.  If you have any membership questions, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Char's Hair Design and Accendo Real Estate present:
Char's Hair Design and A Place for Change Grand Opening Fund Raiser

February 4, 2012
1343A The Alameda, San Jose, CA. 95126
6PM

This is an event that will let you see Char's new salon and raise money for the Billy De Frank LGBT Community Center. Donations will be accepted at the door: $15 or more for light hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, live music, (girl band), Drag King and Queen show,  raffle prizes and fun. The event will start at 6:00 for those that just want to browse the space and donate to the center. At 8:00 the entertainment will start. A fun night for all. Please stop by and donate what you can to support the community center.

Char's Hair Design and Assendo Real Estate are two LGBTQ owned businesses who support our community.

Volunteers are needed to help staff this event.  If interested, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

LGBT Family Law 101 with Emily Doskow

Date: Tuesday February 7, 2012
Place: Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center Ballroom
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $5 - $10 donation requested
Event information: Karl Leal, 408-679-3354 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

In this workshop, we'll cover all the basics of LGBT family law, including:
• Pros and cons of registration and marriage
• Whether you need a prenup or not
• Donor agreements
• Adoption
• Divorce for same-sex couples
• Basic estate planning
• Transgender family law issues

Emily’s Bio: Emily Doskow has been practicing LGBT family law in the Bay Area since 1989. She specializes in same-sex family matters including adoptions, domestic partnership and prenuptial agreements, parentage issues, and uncontested dissolutions. She is a frequent speaker on LGBT family issues, and is the author or coauthor of numerous books published by Nolo, including Making it Legal: A Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships, & Civil Unions; The Legal Guide for Lesbian & Gay Couples; Nolo’s Essential Guide to Divorce; and The Sharing Solution. She is a graduate of Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley (now Berkeley Law). Emily is a former Board member of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She lives in Oakland with her partner.

Emily Doskow, Attorney at Law
1010 Grayson Street, Suite 2, Berkeley, CA 94710
510-698-4902 phone - www.emilydoskow.com

Women's Discussion Group - Facilitator Needed

For the past year the Center has been without a regularly scheduled women's discussion group.  There is much interest in having such a group at the Center and this type of group has very very successful in the past.  The Center is looking for someone to organize and lead a group on a regularly basis.  That could be weekly, monthly, or whatever the group decides is best.  If you are interested in forming such a group, or any type of group, the Center is willing to help by providing space for the meetings along with promotion on our website and newsletters.  If you are interested, please contact Fred Carter (Board Treasurer) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Come join the tradition of weekly BINGO on Wednesday nights. The regular game starts at 7PM.  Early games start around 6:30PM.  The BINGO committee is interested in your feedback.  If you have any comments, questions, or creative ideas, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Mondays, 7:30-9PM, free at the Center (Trans and Allies focused)

Thursdays, 7-8:30PM, free at the Center
NOTE: The Thursday Yoga class is be on hiatus and will resume February 9, 2012.

Do you know how the Billy DeFrank Center is operated?  Most of the people you see managing the Center, answering the phones and writing letters are volunteers. We rely heavily on the support of the community and not just for money: volunteerism is what keeps us going, and we need your help -- we are looking for talent at every level!  If you are interested in devoting some of your time and effort to the future of your LGBT Community Center, please go to the Volunteer Center tab and fill out the Volunteer Application. We would love to have you!