By Greg Hernandez In Los Angeles, one in five youth in foster care identify as LGBT or questioning. They are twice as likely to live in a group facility rather than with a family, two times as likely to report poor treatment by the foster system, and three times more likely to end up in a hospital for emotional reasons. It is also far too common for transgender and gender nonconforming youth to have social workers who don’t fully understand them and fail to get them connected to the services they need. “People need to understand the challenges and barriers…
Author: Kelly Freter
“In its ruling today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on narrow legal technicalities of the case, while reaffirming current discrimination protections for LGBT people at the state level. But at the same time, the justices opened a very dangerous door that could eventually condone legal discrimination against the LGBT community based on so-called religious grounds. “This case—and now this decision—has confused many well-intentioned people who ask, ‘Why didn’t this couple just go somewhere else to get their cake?’ It is critical to understand that, at its heart, this case is not about buying a wedding cake any more than the…
The Los Angeles LGBT Center has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Citi Foundation as part of the 2018 Community Progress Makers Fund. The Fund is a $20 million, two-year initiative by the Citi Foundation to support high-impact community organizations that are driving economic opportunities in our communities by bringing together residents, nonprofits, businesses, and municipal agencies. The Center joins a group of 40 change agents who are playing a key role in coordinating the efforts of multiple partners toward common goals and working in new ways to address urban challenges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City,…
By Greg Hernandez A vocal contingent chanted “If they don’t let us dream, we won’t let them sleep!” during a rally at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena on Tuesday (May 15) in support of preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The rally took place outside as appellate judges inside the courthouse were due to hear arguments in a DACA case (Regents of University of California v. Department of Homeland Security) that’s seen as critical in determining if thousands of current DACA recipients will have the right to renew the protections that allow them the remain in…
The Los Angeles LGBT Center has been awarded three grants totaling more than $1.5 million to expand its STOP Violence Program which has offered the nation’s largest and most comprehensive LGBT-specific domestic violence programs and services since 1996. The STOP Violence Program intervenes with family and domestic violence related crimes, crimes related to hate and bias violence (such as bullying, harassment, and discrimination), and other types of crime such as stalking, robbery, identity theft, cyber-crime, and human trafficking, among others. An award from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) will enable the STOP Violence Program to launch its Safely…
By Greg Hernandez A diverse group of LGBT seniors whose lives have been touched by cancer, HIV, or other health challenges came together at the Los Angeles LGBT Center for a mask-making workshop designed to help them heal emotionally. They unveiled the masks they lovingly labored over and told the stories behind them during a special reception at the Center’s Advocate & Gochis Galleries. “I’m not an artist. I can’t draw a straight line. I went into this class kicking and screaming,” Clarence R. Williams told the crowd of approximately 50 people at the reception. “It took me so many…
Who says socks have to come in pairs? Certainly not the new sock company OneTo Celebrate which donated 150 single socks with several black-and-white designs to the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The eye-catching socks are now among the items inside a clothing closet for LGBT youth experiencing homelessness. The socks were delivered stored inside two specially-designed drawers at the Center’s Youth Center and will be refilled by the company as the supply dwindles. “Once we found out that socks are the most needed clothing item, we decided to donate to the Center where LGBTQ people come,” explains company founder Philia Beroud. “They…
By Greg Hernandez Rainbow pride flags large and small could be seen waving throughout the crowd of thousands who gathered in downtown Los Angeles on May 1 for the annual May Day rally and march. Gloomy, drizzly skies resulted in a smaller crowd than in years past, but there was no shortage of passion among advocates, union leaders, and workers when it came to standing up for immigrant, worker, and LGBT rights. “I’m here to stand up for our rights – to shout and scream and be strong,” Los Angeles LGBT Center volunteer Frankie Barcenas said as he stood with…
By Greg Hernandez The Trans Wellness Center (TWC) officially opened its doors in Los Angeles this week as a first-of-its-kind first facility that brings together comprehensive services and resources for transgender and non-binary people under one roof. “It’s not only historic for our city, it’s historic for our nation,” Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean said during an April 24 press conference at the 3,000-square-foot space near the city’s Koreatown and Wilshire Center neighborhoods. “People always feel most comfortable going to a place where people are like them,” Jean added. “That’s what going to happen here at the…
By Greg Hernandez Frank Gulli used to have to travel from his Triangle Square apartment to a community garden in West Hollywood to work out his green thumb. Now all he has to do is walk to the second floor patio area of Triangle Square, the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s affordablehousing complex for LGBT seniors, to get his gardening fix. The Center’s Young Professional Council and the Young Alumni of USC Lambda recently spent a Saturday putting together 12 portable wooden gardening plots and getting them ready for planting. It’s now it’s up to the residents to maintain the vegetables,…