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CMG Mission Statement
California Menâs Gatherings (CMG) fosters a safe, supportive, welcoming community where men challenge themselves to develop their emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical lives – with as much fun as possible along the way!
CMG Core Values
- California Menâs Gatherings is a non-profit learning organization, educating its members in many ways. We work to connect on an interpersonal level, learn from each other, build lasting social relationships, and grow in community.
- CMG connects men to support development in each man as an integrated spiritual, social, sensual, physical, intellectual, and professional beingâknowing we are always learning to be the men we want to be.
- CMG welcomes all men. As most members and attendees are gay or bisexual, CMG explores what it means to be a man and what it means to be gay and bisexual, in a world that has often been unaccepting.
- CMG unites men of different generations to make all our lives better. We support men in coming to terms with their past and empowering themselves in their present.
- CMG strives to create a safe space to explore the questions of who we are and who we strive to be as men. We also accept that, even within a âsafe space,â it is sometimes necessary and valuable to work through the emotional challenges that may arise during this exploration.
- CMG embraces diversity among men, including and not limited to race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, age, body type, HIV status, physical ability, education, financial circumstances, birth gender (in the case of transmen), gender fluidity, sexual orientation, beliefs, religious traditions, and spiritual practices.
- CMG promotes understanding, compassion, inclusion, trust, openness, fellowship, and collaboration. We strive to share these gifts both within our community and beyond, through the values of volunteerism, leadership, andâwhenever mutually beneficialâmentoring. We believe that a volunteerâs willingness to take on leadership should be supported; learning to lead within CMG fosters leadership qualities that can benefit both the man and the world beyond our organization.
- We accomplish our mission, core values and vision through statewide Gatherings, retreats, local events, and leadership experiencesâstriving to do so with a spirit of fun as often as possible
What are Our Activities?
The primary activity of the California Menâs Gatherings is to create Gatherings and local events in a safe and supportive environment where all men can confront, risk and experience the challenges necessary for genuine growth, transformation and empowerment as men.
Who Attends?
The men who attend the Gatherings (and our hundreds of local events) are a diverse group of varying ages, beliefs, religious traditions, and spiritual practices. We have differently-abled men and men from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. CMG members are predominantly gay and bisexual men. We welcome anyone over 18, who identifies as male â gay, bisexual, straight, transman, genderqueer, intersex, gender fluid â who wishes to participate in a community of men.
Event Planning Structure
The California Menâs Gatherings began as an annual event in 1978 but has since grown to offer three weekend-events a year. These events are called âGatheringsâ â one held over Memorial Day weekend (Spring), one over Labor Day weekend (Summer), and one in early-to-mid-November (Fall).
Each Gathering is planned and delivered by a volunteer group of men called a Planning Committee. Men in the Greater Los Angeles area plan the Spring Gathering; men in the San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento plan the Summer Gathering, and; men in the Greater San Diego and Palm Springs areas plan the Fall Gathering. There are also over 200 local events and workshops created throughout the year by the five area Event Committees.
Our Nonprofit Status
The California Menâs Gatherings Inc. (CMG) is incorporated as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Donations to the California Menâs Gatherings Inc. are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by the IRS.
The CMG is overseen by a statewide Board of Directors who meet throughout the year to conduct and discuss operational and policy issues.
CMG also holds an Annual Members Meeting (AMM) each year to elect officers and consider and discuss changes to the CMG Bylaws, open to all.