By Eduardo Morales, Ph.D.–
AGUILAS in San Francisco received three years of funding by the California Office of AIDS to enhance its HIV/AIDS services. 2023 marks the third year of this funding cycle, and thanks in large part to it and the Empowerment Initiative, AGUILAS will be holding a three-day, two-night retreat at Enchanted Hills Summer Camp near Napa for about 51 participants. If you are a member of the Latinx LGBTQ+ community and would like to attend, please register at the AGUILAS website: https://www.sfaguilas.org/
A sliding scale will be offered when you register for the retreat that will take place from Friday, April 21, to Sunday, April 23, at the scenic Enchanted Hills site located on Mt. Veeder. The camp is owned by the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired whose administrative offices are in San Francisco. At other times of the year, the camp serves blind children, teens, adults, deaf-blind, seniors, as well as families of the blind.
The remodeled facility has cabins with bedding, sheets, pillows, bathrooms, various meeting rooms, dining facilities, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. It is located 10 miles west of Napa and is known for its beautiful redwoods, rivers, and mountain vistas.
According to the Enchanted Hills website: “The experience of summer camp holds countless opportunities for enjoyment and learning in many a person’s life. Whether it’s exploring a trail in the woods or creating a skit as a team to perform in front of an audience, camp provides a wealth of structured and unrestricted moments that contribute to socialization, growth, and development. Founded in 1950 by Rose Resnick, Enchanted Hills was the first camp of its kind on the West Coast to fill a void as there was not one recreational facility for blind children to explore, thrive, and gain confidence.”
The theme of this year’s AGUILAS retreat is “Reconnecting with Our Culture and Ourselves.” The goal is to rediscover the adventure of self-growth and acceptance and to incorporate groups to facilitate this process. The retreat program starts on Friday when participants arrive by 3:30 pm, get situated in assigned cabins, have dinner, and have a welcoming and centering session after dinner.
The retreat is partnering with Queer Arts Featured, also known as Queer A. F., whose offices are located on Castro Street at the store where Harvey Milk had his camera shop. It has a staff with extensive experience hosting a series of interactive healing arts workshops that include movement, reiki, and sound healing. The workshops by Queer A. F. will be held in several sessions throughout Saturday.
After the last workshop on Saturday, there will be a pool party at about 4 pm followed by dinner and a relaxing evening event. On Sunday morning, artist Juan Manuel Carmona will conduct an interactive art workshop for all attendees after breakfast. He is one of the artists who created the mural entitled Queeroes on the SF LGBT building together with artist Simón Malvaez. All workshops will integrate health promotion, HIV/AIDS prevention, and PrEP and PEP information.
On Friday, AGUILAS will provide bus transportation for 34 attendees since the road to the campsite is compromised due to the recent rainy weather. All retreat goers will need to have a negative COVID-19 test and must be at the SF LGBT Center on Friday, April 21, at 1 pm sharp to take the bus to the camp location. For those choosing or needing to drive, maps to Enchanted Hills will be provided and you should arrive at the site by 3:30 pm. It is expected that participants will stay at the campsite throughout the three days. Once you register, you will receive information on the items that you should bring. You will also receive the complete retreat program.
In terms of food, dinner will be provided on Friday evening. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided on Saturday. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Sunday, with the retreat ending after that last meal.
I encourage those who are Latinx LGBTQ+ to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to network with other members of our community in such a tranquil and verdant setting. I hope to see you there!
Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus, retired Distinguished Professor, and current adjunct professor at Alliant International University. He is also a licensed psychologist and a founder and current Executive Director of AGUILAS, an award-winning program for Latinx LGBTQ+. Of Puerto Rican decent, he has received numerous distinguished awards and citations, including being named a Fellow of 12 divisions of the American Psychological Association.
Nuestra Voz
Published on April 6, 2023
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