LGBTQ+ families in Los Angeles’ showed off their pride this weekend at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans’ first-ever Family Pride Day.
Saturday’s Family Pride Day – a free event full of activities, education and community – was held at the Lucena On Court apartment complex courtyard in L.A.’s Historic Filipinotown district, where they operate a well-being community center. SIPA is an LGBTQ+ and women-led nonprofit with a goal to empower the Filipino American community through health and human services, combined with arts and culture programming.
With discussions on parenting and gender allyship, resources from community organizations, fun games and interactive workshops, the day brought together LGBTQ+ youth and their families to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander pride during June’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
The day’s activities began with opening remarks from Danilo “Danny” Cortez, a co-pastor at Long Beach Christian Fellowship and the director of nonprofit Estuary Space, which helps churches, families and individuals navigate gender and sexuality through faith.
Gender and sexuality “isn’t (typically) a topic that is discussed in Filipino communities,” according to SIPA organizers. When a child comes out to their parents, they often have many questions.
Alongside Family Pride Day, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans offers a “Parenting Our LGBTQ+ Children” program, which examines social, ethnic, psychological and spiritual issues in LGBTQ+ children, build community with others, and promotes healthy relationships between parents and queer children.
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