Author: Greg Hernandez

Terra Russell-Slavin never thought she’d find herself on the basketball court during the second quarter of an NBA playoff game at Staples Center. But that’s where the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Director of Policy and Community Building stood on June 14 when she was one of five people honored during the LA Clippers Community Heroes ceremony. “It was humbling,” Russell-Slavin (pictured, above) tells LGBT News Now. “I thought of my young self who was afraid of coming out partly because of team sports and LGBT bias. To see us openly recognized on the floor of the arena was pretty awesome!”…

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Volunteering is something that comes naturally to me because my parents gave a lot of their time volunteering to schools, organizations, and their church before they passed. I’ve learned that I truly enjoy it and that’s what keeps me coming back. Being able to meet and interact and help others during these trying pandemic times has also been great and important for my own well-being—it gives me some extra purpose in life. During the pandemic, volunteers were needed to screen clients at the front door of the McDonald/Wright Building. One day, one of the top four finishers from RuPaul’s Drag…

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By Greg Hernandez If a gay or bisexual man wants to donate blood in the United States today, he is not supposed to have had sex with another man for at least three months prior. Paul Osborne had something to say about the policy. “It’s entirely discriminatory—people need blood,” said the 51-year-old before walking into the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s McDonald/Wright Building for an appointment. “They should open it up to everyone so that everyone can give blood. Then, they can have a bigger supply for those who need it, particularly those with a less common blood type.” In an…

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“There’s just so many people to call.” Speaking to LGBT News Now, Eric Hauptfleisch (pictured, above), a volunteer for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Hello Club, added: “It would be great if more people got involved.” The Center launched the Hello Club in March 2020 to call seniors facing a higher level of isolation or needing groceries and other essentials. To date, more than 8,400 calls have been made by an army of 237 volunteers. But the army has been dwindling lately—in the middle of a surge in cases of COVID-19’s Delta variant. “There has been a serious decrease with…

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When I began working at the Center in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a very logistics-oriented mindset. But that soon evolved into a far more tender and compassionate approach to my job linking seniors to various benefits such as MediCal, medical alert devices, and nutritional assistance. This is not an easy job because it involves supporting our community in sometimes very difficult ways. This is heart work that will definitely reveal different facets of yourself that you didn’t know existed. It is a job that will help shape your soul for the better if you allow it. I have…

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By Greg Hernandez During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Navy veteran Wayne D. Robinson was still trying to process what was happening in the world—and how it would impact him—when he received an unexpected phone call. “That wonderful, soothing, and sincere voice was a lifeline for me. It energized and reassured me that I wasn’t all alone, that someone cared,” recalls Robinson, (pictured, above). “I was often very afraid and feeling somewhat lost during the pandemic. I was worried and uncertain.” The call came from a volunteer with the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s newly-formed Hello Club, a service which…

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After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine this spring, I began volunteering at the Center during the free lunch service for seniors and the Pride Pantry. I also recently volunteered for Pride Picnic held at Hollywood Forever! I became involved because I wanted to feel more connected to my community—both my geographical neighborhood and the wider LGBTQ+ community. I wanted to share my love and give back with acts of service. Through volunteering, I have met so many new people and have had so many great conversations during each shift. It is nice to walk to the Center’s Liberation Coffee House and…

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By Greg Hernandez Diamond Walker has always wanted to make hollandaise sauce without it curdling. She has finally managed to master that skill—and so much more—as she prepares to graduate from the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s unique Culinary Arts Program. “I love the atmosphere here,” said Walker, 56, during a class break at the Anita May Rosenstein Campus’ commercial kitchen. “If I had gone to Le Cordon Bleu or another culinary school, it would be entirely different because there’s so much love, and friendly people, here. It’s a wonderful environment!” Walker is one of the more than 100 students to have completed…

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Nearly 12 years ago, I was having a difficult time re-entering the workforce after staying home to care for my kids. But there was an opening for a theater technician at the Center and, as a person with a theatre degree who needed a job, the stars seemed aligned. I then joined the staff of AIDS/LifeCycle in 2015. Throughout the season, I produce events in the form of parties, bike rides, and a bike expo to offer first-timers a glimpse of what to expect in June. My favorite part of the year is the two weeks surrounding the Ride. I…

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Filmmaker Luisa Conlon knew she had an attentive audience when she took part in a recent virtual screening of her documentary short film Senior Prom. “I hope I did the prom justice,” Conlon said after the June 21 screening for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s senior clients. “Some of you might have spotted friends and spotted yourselves in there, and I hope you enjoyed it.” The heartwarming 14-minute film, which premiered on PBS Voices’ YouTube platform in June for Pride month, was filmed at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank in 2017 and 2019 during the annual Senior Prom event organized each…

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