I came to work at the Center because I wanted to be in a position to help the community and be connected to an organization that cares about justice and fairness—especially toward the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. As a licensed psychologist, I’ve had the opportunity to join the Trans Behavioral Health Program to support some of our interns creating a therapy group specifically serving the needs of the Center’s Black clients. I’ve had the unique experience of starting a new job during a pandemic and meeting my supervisors and several colleagues only through a computer screen. I’m grateful for…
Author: Greg Hernandez
February is National Self-Check Awareness Month—a reminder for us to take charge of our health in order to avoid chronic disease and other preventable conditions. “Since the onset of the global pandemic 10 months ago, many of us in the LGBTQ community have struggled to maintain connection, to find time and space to retreat and refortify, and to prioritize our physical and mental health,” points out Kaiyti Duffy, medical director of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Audre Lorde Health Program for lesbian and bi women. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to delay important health maintenance activities, such as…
By Greg Hernandez The first meeting of Ebony Sage Circle to take place after the killing of George Floyd last May had to be virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the devastation and rage among the participants was palpable on the computer screens. “There was lot of emotion—heavy emotion,” recalls Clarence R. Williams (pictured, above), one of the co-founders of this Los Angeles LGBT Center Senior Services social group. “For once, this modern-day lynching of a Black man before the world just brought up everything—with participants saying, ‘No more! This needs to change, and change right now, because we…
I became a Center volunteer because I understand it takes many moving parts of an operation in order for its mission to be accomplished. I have also personally experienced a time of need for community support when my family rejected my whole self (one part of that whole—me being gay), and I experienced times of homelessness. Being in need and being part of a community that supports you 100 percent for who you are gives you a true sense of belonging and validation. Through volunteering, I’ve learned how much more thankful I am, how much I enjoy being able to…
I applied for a job at the Center because I had always wanted to work with my LGBTQ community. They are the reason I went into the field of psychology. I am dedicated to empowering and lifting up our community. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have learned just how resilient the Center is. We can pivot and get the job done! It’s amazing how quickly we changed and adapted in order to support our clients. I work with and manage nine wonderful team members virtually 98% of the time now. It is all Zoom, calls, and emails.…
By Greg Hernandez Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has been able to maintain and expand its services largely because 1,025 volunteers stepped up to do their part during such a challenging time. They were honored with a virtual celebration on January 22 for donating a whopping 32,240 combined hours of their time and talents during a turbulent and unpredictable 2020. “We could not do all that we do without our wonderful volunteers, and we thank each and every one of you for what you’ve done for us,” Center CEO Lorri L. Jean told the group. “I…
I have learned that, despite being retired, I still have a strong work ethic. So, when I saw the Pride Pantry being set up, I jumped at the opportunity to join the effort to stave off food insecurity. The comments or stories people share with you while you’re giving out the food is unpredictable. Most people are grateful, a few are picky, and some are surprisingly disclosive. Pride Pantry workers span multiple generations, and it’s been really interesting sharing our experiences and various points of view. Volunteering has also made me aware of the many services the Center provides that extend…
By Greg Hernandez When Guadalupe Sanchez signed up for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s LifeWorks Mentoring Program, she wanted to be matched with a cisgender, butch lesbian who had achieved professional success. She found that in Rosser Goodman (pictured with Sanchez, above), an accomplished television and film director and producer who became her mentor two years ago. “To be able to see someone older who presents like me and is successful has been eye-opening and a blessing,” says Sanchez. “It really has opened my horizons and helped me to see a different narrative than what I could have imagined before.…
By Greg Hernandez Whenever senior client Clarence R. Williams visits the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Anita May Rosenstein Campus, he feels a swelling of pride while walking through the Bayard Rustin Courtyard. “We never have enough same-gender loving Black American gay men featured or celebrated in any significant way,” says Williams, co-founder of the Senior Services social group Ebony Sage Circle. “Bayard Rustin never, ever denied who he was. He was a very brilliant and intelligent man who had a lot to give.” The openly gay civil rights activist was a top advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. and was…
After graduating from nursing school in 2009 and then working in the ER and Oncology at USC Medical Center, I applied for jobs at the Center and AIDS Healthcare Foundation. I was offered positions at both places at the same time. My love for the community and the multitude of services at the Center made my decision for me. When the AIDS epidemic was in full swing in the mid-1990s, I lost many friends at that time to the virus. Many years later I tested positive for HIV and Hepatitis C and began treatment. So, it was always my plan to…