Sister Yanita Letgo

The Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a dedicated group of nuns committed to promoting universal joy and expiating stigmatic guilt, hereby express our profound sadness in response to the recent decision made by the LA Dodgers to uninvite The LA Sisters from the Pride Night event and take back the “Community Hero Award”. It is truly disheartening to witness the Dodgers’ refusal to acknowledge and honor the incredible work carried out by the Sisters within the community.

Our mission is to “promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt”. The Sisters help members of the community to understand that they are entitled to claim the universal joy that we are all born with. Just as young children find joy in the world, we grownups need to understand that this joy belongs to us as adults as well! Stigmatic guilt is the shame that we feel when society slams us with labels such as “queer” “fat” “ugly” “pervert” etc. We cast aside the stigmatic guilt when we understand that WE ALL are entitled to be happy and healthy JUST AS WE ARE. NO MORE GUILT!!

The Russian River Sisters are a diverse group of people, and our order includes gay, straight, transgender and non-binary members. We welcome people from all walks of life, gender identities and sexual orientations into our order. We pride ourselves on being inclusive to everyone. We have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for our community and beyond. We have received many awards including the Jefferson award, a resolution from Sonoma County Board of Supervisor honoring the Sisters for their community service, “Organization of The Year” by the CA Chapter of the Association of Social Workers, The Association of Fundraising Professionals Philanthropy Award”, Certificate of Congressional Recognition” by the US Congress, “The Distinguished Service Award for HIV Prevention and Care ” from Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

The Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Sisters all over the world remain dedicated to supporting and promoting inclusivity across our communities. Our efforts extend far beyond the LGBTQIA+ community, encompassing seniors, children, schools, animal programs, food programs, local fire departments, and numerous other local nonprofit organizations. We firmly believe that it is through unity and collective support that we can create a better world for all.

We acknowledge the numerous individuals, including Sisters around the world, of every faith who contribute tremendous good to this world and we support their incredible work. Nevertheless, it is deeply disturbing to witness certain factions within the Catholic Church and other groups promoting hate and prejudice, particularly against the LGBTQAI+ community. The Russian River Sisters will continue to resist those who use religious texts to propagate hate within our communities. We refuse to tolerate such discrimination and animosity.

We take immense pride in those who have taken a stand against the LA Dodgers’ decision to exclude the Sisters from the Pride Night event. The outpouring of support and solidarity from all corners has been truly inspiring. It serves as a testament to the power of unity and the ongoing fight for equality, love, and acceptance.
The Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence remain undeterred in our mission to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt. We will persist in our endeavors to create a world where everyone can live authentically and embrace their true selves, free from stigma and prejudice.

Love Light and Joy to ALL,

Sister Yanita Letgo
Abbess
Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence