Former Sebastopol resident Orlando O’Shea is organizing TransLife’s first fundraiser, “Vaudeville Boheme,” to support the group’s annual conference.
O’Shea said TransLife’s usual sponsor for the conference had to pull out this year.
“It was sink-or-swim for our little organization. We said the show must go on. Literally, let’s put on a show to make sure our conference goes on,” O’Shea said.
The fundraiser is at Wischemann Hall on Saturday, June 29, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. with song, dance, theater, dinner, a silent auction and 1920s-themed attire.
“Vaudeville Boheme” will have wine available from Taft Street Winery, Pax Mahle Wines, Bruce Patch Wines and more, with a brass band and entertainment show.
The TransLife Community Conference will be held at Finley Community Center on Oct. 19.
O’Shea said TransLife’s main goal is to develop strength in the Sonoma County transgender community by offering resources, doing outreach and educating.
TransLife’s fiscal sponsor and event organizer is Santa Rosa Community Health.
“The amazing thing about our organization is we’re all volunteer; nobody gets paid. Any money from the fundraiser directly helps the trans community,” O’Shea said.
O’Shea, who is transgender, moved to the North Bay from Los Angeles 23 years. He helped out at TransLife’s first community conference and has organized each one since then.
TransLife has been active four years and was developed by Dr. Suegee Tamar-Mattis while she worked with the transgender community in Sonoma County.
O’Shea said Tamar-Mattis felt the transgender community was isolated and decided to provide support by putting on the first TransLife conference.
TransLife held the first professional symposium last year with Dr. Brooke Vezino, who runs a gender clinic at Gravenstein Community Health Center.
“There were professionals who were wanting to go to the community conference, and we really want that to be a space for the trans community,” O’Shea said.
O’Shea said TransLife works with other organizations and has core committee meetings at Positive Images, an LGBT center in Santa Rosa. TransLife doesn’t have community meetings but provides resources online for support groups.
Wischemann Hall is on 465 Morris St. in Sebastopol. Tickets for “Vaudeville Boheme” are $35, which includes dinner and the silent auction. For more information, visit translifeconference.org.
