The Coalition for Family Harmony, in partnership with Ventura County Youth Equity Initiative, held their 3rd annual Bridging LGBTQ+ Familias event this weekend at Roger Jones Community Center in Oxnard. It was a two-hour event put on for Latinx LGBTQ+ community members and their families, as well as local allies interested in learning how to better support LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones in the Latinx community. An intergenerational panel of Latinx LGBTQ speakers discussed the struggles facing this community and best practices to support them. VC Defensa attended to table the event, provide resources, and continue learning about how to best support our LGBTQ+ community members.

Nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ young people say their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ+ policies and legislation. Mental illness is one of the main vulnerabilities these communities face, often manifesting as depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies. These are the all too common consequences of homophobia, transphobia, bullying, feeling invisible, and in some cases being denied by family. Even basic dignities like bathroom safety and identity recognition are often not respected.

Along with these vulnerabilities, we learned about best practices when it comes to providing support and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people. These were shared with a reminder that we don’t have to wait for the law—we as allies are the ones that need to create a safe space, be respectful, and protect LGBTQ+ people. This is called proactive allyship—we must push back and speak up when we see anti-LGBTQ+ hate. Allyship doesn’t have to come at the expense of our personal safety, but it’s important to support queer community members however we can! Introducing ourselves with our pronouns and asking for other’s pronouns, respecting chosen names, using visibility markers like LGTBQ+ flags can help LGBTQ+ people identify safe environments.

A key theme that shone during the panel discussion was the impact that even ONE person’s support can have. Whether it be a sibling, a partner, or a member of their chosen family, knowing that someone is there to support you, love you and advocate for you is a huge part of one’s journey and makes a difference.

Another key theme was the intersectionality between being Queer and Latinx, along with the damaging assumptions that come with this. For example, if one is part of both of these communities, it’s often assumed that they must be distant from the church, or that their family dislikes them. Although these assumptions can be true, it’s important to remember that everyone has a distinct experience with many layers. It is crucial to approach conversations with curiosity, listen, and understand lived experiences of Queer Latinx community members in order to offer the appropriate support each individual needs.

As the event was coming to an end, the following question was posed:

“How do we continue to build safe spaces?”

One of the panelists answered short and succinctly:

“See something, say something, and ORGANIZE.”

This statement serves as a powerful reminder that creating lasting safety and inclusion for Latinx LGBTQ+ people in our community isn’t just a passive intention, but an active, ongoing commitment we must all carry forward into our daily lives and communities.

VC Defensa attended to table the event, provide resources, and continue learning about how to best support our LGBTQ+ community members. Because LGBTQ+ Latinx individuals often face unique, intersecting challenges, our presence allows us to ensure our community resources are directly accessible to them. While speaking to community members, we learned that many are already familiar with VC Defensa’s work and are enrolled in our neighborhood WhatsApp hubs, sharing how much they rely on these groups for real-time updates and trusted support. Our mission is to support our entire community, which means ensuring our LGBTQ+ members are explicitly included, protected, and advocated for. Being present at this event reinforces our commitment to active allyship and helps us build truly safe, welcoming spaces across all VC Defensa programs.