Building Power Amongst LGBTQIA+ Youth
Latino Equity Alliance (LEA) is a project of community partners in Southeast Los Angeles. LEA was born in 2009 in direct response to the passing of California’s Prop 8, a ballot initiative that took marriage rights away from same-sex couples. According to data from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, among eight cities in Southeast LA, about 60% of voters chose yes on Prop 8, highlighting a need for coordinated efforts to uplift LGBTQIA+ individuals within the Latine/x community in SELA. LEA aims to increase access to queer-specific resources and visibility around the LGBTQIA+ community in the region.
In the Summer of 2023, with support from Los Angeles County, LEA opened the first LGBTQIA+ center in Southeast Los Angeles. The Center, called Mi SELA, is located in the City of Bell and provides a variety of services including academic resources, leadership development, parent education, and health resources. With over fourteen years of organizing experience, LEA builds power by fostering leadership in the Latine/x community, their core goals include youth empowerment, family acceptance, educational equity, and civic engagement.
Activate MiSELA!
This year, with funding from the California Community Foundation (CCF) administered through the SELA Collaborative, LEA is working to engage LGBTQIA+ and allied youth in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Montebello Unified School District (MUSD), and local charter schools as homophobia and transphobia surrounding LGBTQIA+ curriculum in schools is on the rise nationwide. To complement this work, LEA also offers leadership development and educational workshops to improve understanding of LGBTQIA+ issues, voter rights, advocacy efforts, and local policies that impact residents day-to-day. This series of workshops has created an opportunity to build community and create tangible calls to action.
In addition to the workshops, organizers are working to establish a regional LGBTQIA+ Youth Council composed of 15 students from target schools. The Youth Council builds leadership skills and also encourages community amongst queer individuals and their peers. This council informs best practices and policies that have the potential to positively impact the queer community in SELA. LEA’s work on this grant will culminate in an LGBTQIA+ convening with 100 community members, where they will outline policies and recommendations to combat exclusionary practices in schools. Their ultimate goal is to support queer students in the SELA region and ensure their academic success.
In efforts to continue coalition building across Southeast LA, LEA has partnered with a number of community-based organizations within the SELA Collaborative network – including: TransLatin Coalition, The Wall Las Memorias Project, Alliance for a Better Community, Innovate Public Schools (formerly known as Great Public Schools), Spirit Family Services, Human Services Association, Communities for a Better Environment, and the SELA Art Center.
Creating Safe & Inclusive Spaces
LEA has consistently worked to create welcoming spaces where young people can easily access essential resources, education, and support. These core values have remained integral to their mission over the years. With the launch of Mi SELA, LEA has continued to foster a diverse set of partnerships with local organizations, community members, businesses, and policymakers.
LEA continues to increase civic engagement efforts to improve the visibility of LGBTQIA+ youth across the SELA region. Through this initiative, Mi SELA youth center has become a recognized hub in the community—a place that empowers individuals, fosters connection, and promotes social change.
The Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative is a network of organizations working together to strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit sector and increase civic engagement in Southeast LA. Founded in 2011 by eleven core organizations, the Collaborative seeks to revitalize the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon, and Walnut Park.
These grantee vignettes highlight the work and impact of individual Collaborative members, each of whom have a long history of serving and advocating in partnership with residents of Southeast Los Angeles. Read more about the SELA region here.
Author
Emily Phillips
Emily (she/her) is the Project Specialist at Neighborhood Data for Social Change. Emily received her Master in Public Policy with a specialization in advocacy communications from the USC Price School in the Spring of 2024. Prior to relocating to Southern California, Emily grew up in Phoenix and then obtained her BA in Political Science and Global Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Her main focus incudes policy advocacy across a variety of policy areas including housing, health, and racial justice. She is passionate about community engagement and social impact.
Sources
California LGBTQ Health. (2021). LA Task Force Fact Sheet. https://californialgbtqhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LA-Task-Force-Fact-Sheet-Final-3.pdf
LGBTQ youth in California’s public schools. Williams Institute. (2017, February 11). https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbtq-youth-ca-public-schools/
