Latino Equality Alliance

Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) works to advance the safety, equity and wellness of the Latine/x lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer+ community in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles and the gateway cities. It grew out of January 2009, when LGBTQ+ activists working to undo Proposition 8 recognized that the Latine/x community needed its own coalition and coordinated efforts. Today the organization, a project of Community Partners, builds power through public education, organized action, coalition building and leadership development, with a special focus on safe schools, homes and neighborhoods for LGBTQ+ youth and families.

LEA's home is two community centers. Mi Centro LGBTQ Community Center at 553 S. Clarence Street in Boyle Heights houses the main offices and offers services in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, including legal clinics for work permits and asylum applications, event-based HIV testing and a summer cooling center. Mi SELA in Bell, at 4265 Florence Avenue, is the first LGBTQ+ youth resource center in the city, providing a supportive place for youth and programs that foster community and personal growth.

Young people are at the center of the programming. GLOW, for ages 13 to 18, meets the first and third Thursday of each month at Mi Centro for mentorship, career development and hands-on workshops, and participants can earn a Community Leadership and Social Impact Certificate. The YOU Council, for students in the Montebello Unified School District, turns lived experience into advocacy through art, public education and policy recommendations, including the Mind Over Matter campaign and a traveling mural. Orgullo Camp is a summer series for ages 12 to 17 with workshops, free food and a culminating event, held at Mi SELA, Mi Centro and a site in Huntington Park.

Families and adults have their own spaces. Padres Aliados Conectados, or P.A.C., meets at Mi Centro on the second Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM for parents and caregivers, with workshops on LGBTQ+ inclusion, substance use prevention and wellness activities such as Danza Azteca, Zumba and yoga. QT Connect is an 18 and older program rooted in harm reduction and community care, with overdose prevention education, resource navigation, monthly support groups and substance-free gatherings.

On the advocacy side, LEA and One Institute lead the Rainbow Education Coalition Los Angeles, a grassroots coalition working to strengthen LGBTQ+ supports, accountability and resources across LAUSD. The coalition helped establish a $2 million fund for LGBTQ+ supports in 2025 and passed a Pride resolution in 2026.

Three signature events anchor the year: the LGBTQ Youth Scholarship Awards Ceremony, the Purple Lily Awards Gala honoring local leaders who create safe spaces, and the Calavera LGBTQ Festival, which honors ancestors and uplifts queer voices. The Alliance also hosts Queer Prom, clothing exchanges and community clean-ups. Volunteers can apply online, donors can give or join the monthly membership program, and the centers welcome visitors at 10 AM to 7 PM.