Get Active at the Rainbow Health Fair!

Never before has the Rainbow Health Fair hosted exercise activities! This is the year!

The health fair will be held at Seattle Central Community College on Saturday, June 23rd, and so we have much more space available to help you get in touch with new and fun activities and exercises. We will provide a diverse selection of activities to choose from, including:

Zumba!

Zumba is a Latin dance-inspired fitness program. Instructor Jennifer Cepeda http://www.hellosparkfit.com/about/ leads classes at Youngstown Cultural Art Center in West Seattle.

Contra dancing!

Contra dancing refers to several partnered folk dance styles in which couples dance in two facing lines. Lots of fun! Dancing will be led by Seattle Rainbow Contra Dance. They also lead regular dances - be sure to check their website.

Stretching!

Tamara the Trapeze Lady will lead us in stretching exercises. Get ready to twist and turn! She was one of the first trapeze artists in Seattle - leading to a local revival. She has also developed her own style of stretching, gives trapeze classes, and regularly performs.

Nia!

Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts. These classes will be led by a group of Nia teachers, including Deborah Davis, Sarah Love, Jena Hennessey, Randee Fox, and Allison Wright.


Booty Camp!
Booty Camp is a community oriented, holistic, outdoor women's fitness program. Designed for every ability level, Booty Camp helps women feel confident and strong in their bodies.

We hope you find something new to help you de-stress - something to support the overall health of your body, mind, and spirit. Try out free classes at the Rainbow Health Fair to see what these activities are all about!

Are LBTQ women at risk for HIV?

Tonya Rasberry has gotten used to telling her story. As a Peer Advocate for BABES Network-YWCA, it’s her job. She’s gone around to schools and spoken at public events – telling diverse audiences about how she became a woman living with HIV, and what her life is like now.

Last week, Edge magazine published an article about Tonya, highlighting that Tonya was no less at risk for HIV infection, despite the fact she is a lesbian woman of color.

“When Eric and I were together we shared a lot of things,” she continued, “including partners. … I was always attracted to women and of course I wasn’t going to get a complaint out of him when it came to me living a bisexual lifestyle,” she explained. “Not once did I consider the fact that maybe he also had a private life of his own, and no matter what we were doing behind closed doors neither one of us thought we would have HIV/AIDS affect our lives the way it has.”

Many women who have sex with women don’t realize that they are also at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to Kim Chronister, M.A., a therapist at AIDS Services Foundation. “According to my research, HIV can potentially be transmitted by exposure of the mucous membrane (i.e., the mouth) to vaginal secretions,” she said. “Also, shared penetrative toys may be a means for transmission of infected vaginal secretions, according to the CDC. In my therapeutic work with women who have sex with women, simple steps that these women can take to lower their risks of being infected may seem obvious, but unfortunately are rarely taken.”

Tonya calls for dialogue among communities of women to address the risk of HIV for LBTQ women: “I believe that just having the conversation about HIV/AIDS in our [lesbian] community is unbelievably crucial, because as long as a sexually active person is talking about those sensitive subjects it will help us alleviate some of the stigma that surrounds this topic.”

On June 23rd, BABES Network-YWCA is joining the YWCA Rainbow Health Fair and will have information on HIV/AIDS and the psycho-social support services they provide. HIV testing will also be provided by Gay City Health Project. Hope you can make it!

June 23rd is the Pride Date to remember!

14th Annual LBTQ Rainbow Health Fair - save June 23^rd!

Join us for a fun, vibrant, active, and informative health fair the Saturday of Pride! It’ll be bigger and better than ever before, at Seattle Central Community College.

Saturday, June 23rd

1pm – 5pm

Seattle Central Community College

1701 Broadway

Seattle

Peer providers will share their services, including acupuncture, massage, energy healing, Zumba, stretching with Tamara the Trapeze Lady, HIV testing, cholesterol checks, naturopathic consultation, coming out services, mental health education, and a wonderful laughter session provided by our own Ingrid Berkhout. Stay tuned for a comprehensive program overview closer in early June.

The Swedish Breast Center Mammography Coach will join us on-site for no-cost mammograms. Grace Chapman, ARNP, will also be providing pap tests. Eligible individuals for these no-cost services must be income-eligible, and 40 or over. Insurance is also accepted. To schedule your mammogram and pap test, call YWCA Women’s Health Outreach’s Marilyn Calbert at 206.461.4489.

We are so excited to be holding this health fair again this year, bringing back many interactive and critical health services to Rainbow! We’ll have new partners joining us – bringing us dance exercise, financial education, and Healthy Sleep 101 – for the first time ever!

Over the coming weeks, we’ll share more information about different peer providers and their services. Stay tuned!

Fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen for Rainbow Health Fair

Have you heard about how you can enjoy a wonderful meal at the Northgate California Pizza Kitchen with your friends AND 20% of your check will be donated to the YWCA Women's Health Outreach Rainbow Health Fair?  Purchases include dine-in, take-out, catering and alcoholic beverages!  This is a fabulous way to nourish the body and the soul. 

We will be onsite during each evening May 15th, 16th and 17th of the event with flyers to present to your server (you need the flyer for 20% of your check to be donated to the Rainbow Health Fair).  Grab a group of friends and make an evening of it!

You can also contact iberkhou@ywcaworks.org for an emailed flyer.

May 15th, 16th and 17th

California Pizza Kitchen

401 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125