GLAAD’s Spanish-Language & Latine Media created and produced the first Latine Honors, nearly blowing the roof off of Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood, with a more-than-packed house full of stars. 

The Latine Honors were created to celebrate the best in queer, Latine visibility and representation in entertainment media, advocacy and journalism. This event happened back-to-back-to-back with the GLAAD Black and Brown Honors and the 36th GLAAD Media Awards. 

The Latine Honors were hosted by the hilarious stand-up comedian Roz Hernandez, who continues to make waves in the Los Angeles comedy scene and beyond. 

“Every single time [GLAAD] calls, I answer,” said Hernandez on the carpet. 

Hernandez says she is very lucky to be acknowledged by GLAAD and to join forces with them in the work they do for the LGBTQ+ community. 

The Spanish-Language Special Recognition Awards were presented on stage by Harvey Guillén to “The Q Agenda,” a TV series on Latin Nation and “La Verdrag,” a news show on Canal Once, for their incomparable contributions to queer, Latine representation in media. 

LA Blade had the chance to interview some of the Latine stars that graced the carpet to offer their two cents on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community, including Harvey Guillén, Vico Ortíz, David Archuleta and members of “The Q Agenda.” 

“I think now more than ever, it’s important for us to remember that we can’t be numb to the things happening around us,” said Guillén. “People are becoming less empathetic toward our community and other communities being attacked, so we have to remember to not lose focus. Do not lose focus and do not lose empathy.” 

We also had a chance to catch up with Ortíz on the carpet. They are currently hosting a daily LGBTQ+ news podcast with Nay Bever, where together, they tactfully deliver the news that is relevant to our communities. 

“I am co-hosting a daily news podcast called ‘Today in Gay,’ where we wake up everyday, we read the news and then report them to our queer community,” said Ortíz. “It’s quite a responsibility, but I’m also really honored to deliver [the news] with care and tenderness and tact.”

Ortíz was an honoree at the Latine Honors for their outstanding contributions to the media and entertainment industries as a Puerto Rican, non-binary, multi-hyphenated artist. 

Archuleta spoke to us about his latest single Créme Bruleé, which incorporates a Latin flare to a pop tune. 

“I’m so excited because I just released a new song, Creme Bruleé” said Archuleta. “I was really inspired by the pop girlies – Chapelle, Sabrina, Charlie [XCX], Billie [Eilish], and I just thought I wanted to channel that and I want to feel that confidence and that sexiness that I feel when I listen to their music, but I wanted to add a Latin flare to it.” 

Keynote remarks were delivered by GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis; welcome remarks were shared by Monica Tresandes, Senior Director of Spanish Language & Latine Media and Representation; and Gabe Gonzalez, host of GLAAD’s original ¡DÍMELO!, shared remarks about the attendees representing the Latine creators and media from across the industry.

Equality California will hold a rally at the State Capitol’s West Steps in response to rising anti-LGBTQ+ political attacks on Wednesday, March 26 at 11:00 AM PT.

This rally will also serve as an opportunity to discuss the release of the 2024 Legislative Scorecard, which is a report of politicians and sponsored legislation that further and cement the protections of LGBTQ+ rights. The scorecard also analyzes voting methods and results, gathering an overall score that reflects legislators’ votes on EQCA-sponsored legislation.

Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide civil rights organization working towards bringing justice to LGBTQ+ issues by rallying against legislative issues that attack LGBTQ+ rights.

This call to action will serve as part of the organization’s annual  LGBTQ+ Advocacy Day, held each year to bring together constituents with lawmakers in support of pro-LGBTQ+ legislation.

EQCA has a line-up of featured political speakers to include Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur, Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair and Assemblymember Chris Ward, Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Vice Chair and Senator Caroline Menjivar, among others.

This event is meant to bring attention to the rise in political attacks, unite in community and mobilize efforts toward preserving LGBTQ+ rights for the state of California and beyond.

On Feb. 7, Linda Becerra Moran contacted the Los Angeles Police Department in a phone call where she reported that she was being held against her will in a San Fernando Motel. 

At around 9:40AM, Moran called the Foothill Division of the LAPD, and was recorded stating that she was not only being held at the motel against her will, but that she was being forced to bring men into her motel room. In the audio call recording, she is heard crying as she answers the questions regarding her safety. 

When the officers found her in the hotel room they stated that she didn’t remember how she got there, while speaking in Spanish to the officers. 

The statement released regarding the officer-involved shooting says that ‘when officers arrived, they entered the motel room and met with Moran. During their investigation, Moran became agitated, armed herself with a knife and held it to her neck.’ 

The officers responded by drawing their guns, further agitating her. The attorney representing the family of Moran says the released video proves that the shooting was unlawful and unjust. 

Now, the TransLatin@ Coalition is looking for justice for Moran and her family, especially considering that she was someone who received services directly from them. They hosted the first vigil for her on Friday, March 14, in front of the LAPD headquarters. 

“Linda Becerra Moran, a trans immigrant who received services from our organization, was brutally shot and murdered by the Los Angeles Police Department. We held a vigil and we invited the community to join us in solidarity as we demand justice and honor Linda’s life,” said the TransLatin@ Coalition in a statement. 

The police officer who shot and killed Moran was Jacob Sanchez, 24, who was hired in 2021. 

Moran was pronounced dead after three weeks on life support in late February.

Somos Familia Valle, is hosting a poster-making event today from 2PM to 8PM where they will be preparing for a call to action. The call to action is scheduled for Saturday, March 22 at the Foothill Division Police Department, at 1PM. The organization posted a list of demands, along with their statement on Moran’s death. 

“At a time where our trans siblings are being attacked politically and socially, now more than ever is the time for us to be loud and seek accountability,” reads the statement. “The murder of Linda Becerra Moran by the Los Angeles Foothill Division Police Department was unwarranted and speaks to the disregard for trans lives, but also the lack of de-escalation tactics.”

The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement Thursday criticizing Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said this week that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports was “deeply unfair.”

HRC President Kelley Robinson said, “When LGBTQ+ lives are under attack, real leaders don’t hedge — they fight. Across this country, extremists are stripping away rights, banning books, and targeting trans kids just for being who they are. This is not the time for political calculations or playing it safe — it’s time to be bold, to stand up, and to say unequivocally: We will protect LGBTQ+ people with everything we’ve got.”

She continued, “The fight for equality has never been easy, but history doesn’t remember those who waver — it remembers those who refuse to back down. Our message to Gov. Newsom and all leaders across the country is simple: The path to 2028 isn’t paved with the betrayal of vulnerable communities — it’s built on the courage to stand up for what’s right and do the hard work to actually help the American people.”

A longtime ally to the LGBTQ+ community, Newsom was one of the first public officials to officiate same-sex marriages in the early 2000s, which at the time drew criticism from leaders in his own party.

His remarks on trans athletes came during an interview with right-wing pundit and provocateur Charlie Kirk, on the inaugural episode of the governor’s podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom.”

The move signals a possible shift in how Democratic leaders are positioning themselves on issues concerning trans rights, especially provided the speculation about Newsom’s plans to run for president in 2028.

On Tuesday, the former Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department fought for her job to be reinstated through an appeal process that did not go in her favor. She will not get her job back, though she is expected to continue working for the department. 

At the meeting, Crowley pushed back for the first time against the arguments Bass used to justify her termination. Crowley argued that she was facing retaliation for publicly highlighting a lack of resources at the department. 

Going into the special meeting on Tuesday, she had to count on the support of at least 10 of the 15 councilmembers, or two-thirds. The appeal was almost certain to fail because she only counted on the support from Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park.

The main justification for her removal comes from Mayor Karen Bass, who claims Crowley allegedly made decisions that ultimately caused the Palisades fires to burn out of control. 

”A thousand firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke, were instead sent home,” said Bass in a previous press conference. 

Crowley responded to her accusation. 

“As for the 1,000 firefighters who were allegedly sent home prior to the fires, we did not have enough apparatus to put them on,” Crowley said. “Because of budget cuts and lack of investments in our fleet maintenance, over 100 of our fire engines, fire trucks and ambulances sat broken down in our maintenance yards unable to be used to help during the worst wildfire events in our history.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Bass doubled-down on her claims, adding that Crowley allegedly refused to conduct an after-action report following the Palisades fire. 

A claim that Crowley says is false. 

“I did not refuse to conduct an after-action report,” said Crowley to the council. “And let me be clear, this is a false accusation.”

“During our discussions about an after-action report, I advised the fire commissioners about my opinion that was best in regard to how to use LAFD resources,” continued Crowley. 

“I said that the LAFD is not capable, nor do we have the proper resources to adequately conduct an after-action report for the Palisades Fire.” 

Bass was in Ghana when the Palisades fire broke out, leaving council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson as acting mayor. When Bass returned, she blamed Crowley for not warning her of the powerful Santa Ana winds that put Los Angeles at high-risk of fires before she left. 

Back in January, Crowley took to the news media to talk about the lack of resources the fire department struggled with and that Crowley says ultimately caused the lack of response to the fires. 

Councilmember Imelda Padilla, who represents the central San Fernando Valley, also publicly criticized Crowley for making the public announcement while the fires were still raging through Pacific Palisades. 

The former fire chief also counted on the support of many LAFD firefighters who spoke in favor of her leadership skills and decisions.

Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva is currently serving as interim Fire Chief, as the search for someone to fill the position begins.

The Los Angeles City Council originally scheduled Kristin Crowley’s hearing on Friday at 5 P.M. in Van Nuys, but is now rescheduled for Tuesday, following backlash from community members and firefighter representatives who say the timing of the Friday hearing was meant to bury the issue.

On Thursday afternoon, City Council members received an email from former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley stating that she is appealing her termination.

“Today I notified the City Council of my appeal as provided for in Los Angeles Charter, Article V, Section 5.08(e), due to Mayor Bass’ removal of me on February 21, 2025, from the position of Fire Chief of the Los Angeles City Fire Department,” said Crowley in a statement.

The UFLAC is the union that represents LAFD firefighters.

“It is outrageous that the City Council has scheduled, on just 24-hour notice, a ‘special meeting’ for Friday at 5:00 P.M. in the Valley to hear Chief Crowley’s appeal of her dismissal,” said The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City in a statement.

In order to successfully appeal her termination, Crowley would have to count on the support of 10 of the 15 council’s members.

At least four council members stood alongside Bass at a news conference on Friday, announcing Crowley’s ouster — Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and members Curren Price, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Adrin Nazarian.

Crowley’s decision to appeal has already been publicly opposed by at least two council members, Monica Rodriguez and Traci Park.

“This is not transparent, fair, or just. It’s yet another public blunder coming out of City Hall that makes the people of Los Angeles continue to question the motives and trustworthiness of our city’s leaders,” said the union, criticizing City Hall’s decision to handle the issue.

This is a developing story and we will continue to report as more details become available. 

The National Rainbow College Fund was launched as a new scholarship program through the San Diego Foundation aimed at supporting LGBTQ+ students across California whether they are openly out or not. 

According to a survey conducted by Student Loan Hero, LGBTQ+ students face significant barriers in paying for their education. Families may not financially support LGBTQ+ students, leading many to turn to loans to finance their education. Students who also identify as people of color such as Latinx and Black students, are further pushed into debt by racial inequality as loan borrowers in academia. 

According to an LGBTQ+ youth report by the Human Rights Campaign, only about 26 percent of youth are out to all of their family members. 

Jeff Spitko, senior director for integrated fundraising at San Diego Foundation which powers National Rainbow College Fund spoke with L.A Blade regarding the new scholarship program. 

“We have over 500 applications in draft mode and over 200 that have already been submitted, coming from over 320 different zipcodes from across California,” said Spitko. “So I think that what gets me most excited about this program is the ability we have to help LGBTQ+ youth across the state.” 

This scholarship protects students from being outed throughout the entire process–from the application process, to the award being given. 

“We want to make sure that students across California–and hopefully around the country over the next coming years–get the education they deserve and that they dream of, whether they are out and proud, or still have not had the opportunity or family support to come out,” said Spitko. 

To apply, a student who identifies as LGBTQ+ whether publicly or privately, must be a high school senior; an incoming or current college or university student; or an adult re-entry student. The application is not currently open to graduate or Ph.D-level students, but the San Diego Foundation plans to extend the scholarship to those students in the future. 

Applicants need to have lived in California for at least one year and must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the California DREAM Act Application or the Federal Student Aid Estimator Tool. LGBTQ+ students must plan to enroll in at least 6 units in an accredited public or nonprofit community college; four-year university,  trade, vocational school anywhere in the United States.

“As a student at UC San Diego, National Rainbow College Fund eased my financial burden and enabled me to focus on my studies. It also empowered me to be recognized as a person and to be accepted for who I am and as I am,” said Brayden Pape.

LGBTQ+ borrowers had a higher debt burden on average, with $16,000 more than their cisgender and heterosexual peers: 60 percent of LGBTQ+ student loan borrowers regret taking out student loans; 28 percent feel that they can’t manage their student loan payments and more than 53 percent reported earning less than $50,000 per year. 

A 2022 study from the Williams Institute found that LGBTQ+ students are four times more likely than non-LGBTQ+ students to choose college in a state with a more welcoming climate and to live away from family; 60 percent of white LGBTQ+ students are not out to staff or faculty and less than 40 percent of LGBTQ+ students of color are out to staff or faculty. Community colleges have even higher rates of keeping sexual identity private: more than 70 percent white LGBTQ+ students and 65 percent LGBTQ+ students of color are not out. 

The application is open now until Mar. 5. 

 For more details about eligibility and selection criteria, please visit the National Rainbow College Fund website. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fired Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley who served as not only the first woman, but also the first openly out fire chief, after receiving pushback from the Palisades fire.

Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement at noon on Friday ahead of the press conference regarding Crowley’s immediate removal.

“Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief,” said Bass. “We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch.

This move comes after Bass and Crowley disagreed on tensions surrounding the blame for the fires back in January. Crowley blamed Bass for budget cuts that she says impacted their response time for the Palisades fire that caused thousands of structures to be damaged and destroyed. Shortly after, Crowley spoke to the media regarding budget cuts approved by Mayor Bass, a petition for the removal of Bass as mayor began circulating and received 172,137 verified signatures.

Bass summoned Crowley into her quarters on Jan. 10, where they met for quite a while, where rumors began to circulate about Crowley being fired.

Bass is claiming that Crowley did not alert or warn her of the incoming windstorm that was widely expected and publicized days in advance of Jan. 7, making the ideal conditions for fires to start in the high-risk areas of Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon.

“Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters–during the Palisades fire and every single day–is without question. Bringing new leadership to the Fire Department is what our city needs.”

Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva will serve as interim fire chief. Villanueva is a Latino leader with over 40 years of experience in the LAFD. He will serve as interim chief as the search for the next fire chief is now underway.

The hospital broke ground on a new 27,000 square-foot youth mental health center yesterday during a breaking ground ceremony in Echo Park, with Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez (CD-13), and other political leaders. Gateways Hospital serves a large population of at-risk youth, which include LGBTQ+ and Latinx patients who make up a large percentage of the population of the County of L.A.  

This inpatient wing expansion is set to be completed by late 2026. This resource comes at a time where crisis support help lines are receiving record-breaking numbers of callers who are experiencing distress under the current administration and the executive orders that are taking many LGBTQ+ and Latinx resources away. By then, the current administration will have been in office for over a year and other mental health services for LGBTQ+ and Latinx youth will be undoubtedly threatened and halted.

Organizations like The Trevor Project, which provide resources and assistance for mental health, reported up to a 700% increase in calls following the November presidential election. 

“Gateways Hospital is stepping up to meet the adolescent mental health crisis head-on. This expansion means more young people–especially those leaving foster care and LGBTQ+ adolescents–will get the care they need and deserve,” said councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez (CD-13). 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in October 2024, highlighting disparities between cisgender and transgender youth. The youth risk behavior survey in this study was conducted in 2023 and became the first nationally representative data about transgender students. According to the study, ‘transgender and questioning students experienced a higher prevalence of violence, poor mental health, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, unstable housing and a lower prevalence of school connectedness than their cisgender peers.’

“With so many of California’s youth struggling with mental health issues, this new Gateways hospital wing for youth and adolescents in Echo Park represents a critical expansion of care. By adding specialized adolescent beds, Gateways is taking concrete action to support our young people during their most vulnerable moments,” said Mark Faucette, senior program director of the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. 

The new expansion is supported by a $19.2 million grant from the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. The new Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Center will provide support services to youth who are experiencing psychiatric emergencies and support them in their journeys through the mental healthcare system. The new hospital wing at the Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Center at the hospital’s main campus in Echo Park will have 37 new inpatient beds, making Gateways one of the largest providers of acute adolescent mental health services in Los Angeles County.

Gateways also currently provides free services to students at 22 Los Angeles Unified School District schools with services in Spanish and American Sign Language, as well as English. LAUSD just happens to also be currently enacting a new phone-free policy in response to declining mental health in youth.

To learn more about the project, visit the Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Centers website. 

Melissa Lopez, 46, was at home with ‘the coven’ – her two dogs Foxy and HoneyBee, and her two cats Stevie Nicks and Dulce – when she got a notification from Southern California Edison saying there might be a possible power shut-off in her area on the morning of Jan. 7. 

Lopez lived right off of Lake Ave., in Altadena – a city that sits at the bottom of the Eaton Saddle near Mount Markham and San Gabriel Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, part of the Angeles National Forest. 

The fire stretched across 14,000 acres over the weeks it took to contain it. The latest report released on Jan. 27 by the LA County Fire Dept., listed 17 civilian fatalities, nine firefighter injuries and thousands of threatened, damaged and destroyed structures as casualties of this fire. 

Lopez’s was one of the structures that was destroyed shortly after Lopez and her four pets evacuated. 

She recalls that she was watching the news about the Pacific Palisades fire when the reporter got notice that there was a fire starting up in Eaton Canyon, announcing it live on the news. At that moment Lopez felt her stomach drop. 

“The second I heard that, my stomach just dropped, because when you live in Altadena, you kind of get notices of brush fires all the time. But, I knew this time was different because of the intensity of the wind,” recalls Lopez. 

Lopez, whose pronouns are she/they, is a licensed clinical social worker and mental health therapist who works primarily with queer clients in the Los Angeles area. They also have over 100 thousand followers on Instagram as @counseling4allseasons, where they regularly post and repost memes and educational material that is relatable, relevant and helpful for queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled and otherwise marginalized people. Lopez is known as a community leader who has been actively outspoken about issues that are intersectional with race, genocide, immigration, capitalism, patriarchy, queerness and mental healthcare. 

At the time of the interview, Lopez was having a particularly hard day as it was the one month mark since the start of the fires that burned through Altadena neighborhoods.

“Today is a hard day. It’s the one month anniversary of when I evacuated Altadena,” said Lopez in an interview with LA Blade. “I feel really pissed today. I’m pissed that so many things happened that could have been prevented. 

Lopez recalls that on Tuesday Jan. 7 when the Santa Ana winds were blowing the strongest, she received the notification about the power possibly being shut off, but during the time leading up to her evacuation, she recalls that the power was never shut off. All the other alerts she received came after the fire had already started.

As she was preparing to evacuate, she says that she was in communication with many of her friends and nearby neighbors. 

“It was really confusing because I was texting a couple of people and some were saying they hadn’t received [a notification], while others had,” said Lopez. 

At that point, their own instinct and intuition led them to make the ultimate decision to begin evacuating. 

“Everything’s kind of a blur, but I started to just grab the dogs and cats,” they said. “So I started getting all of their supplies like their food, litter – everything they use.” 

The aftermath of the fire on the property that Lopez rented a back house in (Photo courtesy of Melissa Lopez).

As soon as she was able to find short-term housing through AirBnB, she began organizing a group now led by a colleague of Lopez, to help people who had been directly affected and displaced by the Eaton Canyon fire. In the group, they discussed the experience of making the decision to take the evacuations seriously and begin gathering their belongings. She says she even felt ‘silly’ at some point, because she believed she would just be able to return the following day. 

“What I tell people now is that I don’t care how silly you feel. I don’t care if you pack up half your house and feel silly about it. If your house ends up burning down, you will be so grateful for it because there are so many things I wish I would have taken. 

Though Lopez says they don’t remember an exact timeline, they remember seeing the fire move in really fast and by the time she began evacuating it was complete chaos out on the main streets of Pasadena and Altadena because of the hundreds of people evacuating. 

“Some of us had gotten notices, some of us warnings, some of us hadn’t,” Lopez recalls the confusing ordeal. 

The smoke began to cloud the area so Lopez put her dogs into her car, but struggled to get her cats into a carrier and one of them was almost too scared to grab. She was able to make it out of the danger zone with all four of the members of ‘the coven,’ as she likes to call them. 

Lopez gathered her coven and evacuated, saying goodbye to many of her belongings (Photo courtesy of Melissa Lopez).

“I had a friend who was going to take us in who lives in San Marino and driving there is basically a straight shot, but because it was so windy, some trees had fallen over and some of the [street] lights were out, so it was all really chaotic.”

Lopez believes that the community support she has received since the evacuations has gotten through the hardest parts of the experience. Mutual aid came to Lopez’s rescue during this difficult time. Navigating the resources and legal assistance was incredibly difficult because of the stress, trauma and grief she is still currently experiencing. 

The Eaton Canyon fire burned through a large part of Altadena, an area that is predominantly and historically Black, Latinx and working-class. 

“I think it’s important for folks to remember that showing up for community is actually very political,” said Lopez. “I want to encourage people to show up and even if you don’t know people, show up. Even if you don’t f*cking like people, show up.” 

Lopez says they are very grateful for the community that showed up for them and that it is not only important to show up for this current disaster, but for everything marginalized communities are currently facing. They received many messages on IG from people offering their support in a variety of ways and that was all impactful to Lopez. They say that a lot of the support they received was from people they directly and personally knew, but a lot of it also came from people who were complete strangers. 

Lopez received holistic healing care packages from businesses like Earthy Corazón (Photo courtesy of Melissa Lopez).

In Lopez’s case, she was able to get her monthly rent for January and security deposit returned. She says she realizes that this is not the case for most people who are also navigating the aftermath of this disaster. 

“I do want to highlight that I think tenants are having a really hard time because a lot of the resources and a lot of the support goes to homeowners and that is obviously a huge class issue,” said Lopez. “One thing I tell people now is get the f*cking renters insurance.” 

The cause of the fire that took weeks to fully contain is still under investigation and many renters and homeowners await answers from insurance companies on their long path toward justice and permanent housing.