Los Angeles
WeHo Iranian-American lesbian reacts to U.S.-Iran conflict

For a few moments on Wednesday, Jan. 8, the world held its collective breath waiting to see if the president of the United States would declare war on Iran. For days on Twitter, Donald Trump seemed to be craving a fight like a junkie needing a fix, itching to show the world yet again that he is better and way more macho than Barack Obama. After all, he ordered the drone strike assassination of Iranian bad guy Gen. Qassim Soleimani, something even the Israelis declined to do, fearing unpredictable and uncontrollable repercussions.
Trump entered the White House room for his global address backlit by a blinding white light as if his entrance was stage-produced by Evangelicals. And then, flanked by Vice President Pence and stone-faced generals, Trump breathed heavily through a scripted speech filled with lies and mispronounced words, showcasing his braggadocio – but stepping back from the brink of war. Trump claimed he was taking an “off-ramp” because Iran’s retaliation for the assassination of their number two leader was only two dozen ballistic missiles fired at two U.S. bases in Iraq, destroying nothing and killing no Americans. More economic sanctions, but no more military action, for now, at least.
“I feel relieved that there were no casualties and it seems that sanctions is the option being chosen today rather than a military option,” West Hollywood-based Iranian-American lesbian attorney Sepi Shyne tells the Los Angeles Blade after the speech. “I found his speech to be a political one more so than addressing the situation. It feels to me that the [Iranian Islamic] mullahs have been strengthened in this situation more than anything, which is not good for the people of Iran who want to be free of this oppressive regime.”
Like Shyne, the world exhaled when Trump exited back into the glaring bright light. “But analysts cautioned,” Peter Baker wrote in the New York Times, “that even if the two sides ease off a military clash in the short term, the conflict could very well play out in other ways in the weeks and months to come. Iran has many proxy groups in the Middle East that could stir trouble in new ways for American troops or American allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia, and experts remained wary of a possible Iranian cyberstrike on domestic facilities.”
This is no joke. Axios reports that there are nearly 800 US military bases around the world with between 60,000 and 70,000 US troops stationed throughout the Middle East. Soleimani’s assassination was Trump’s knee-jerk response while on holiday at Mar-a-Lago to seeing a mob protesting at the U.S. embassy in Iraq and fearing he’d be blamed for another Benghazi debacle.
But Trump’s impetuous ordering of the assassination without publicly providing evidence of its necessity has now united previous enemies Iran and Iraq against the U.S. And while the leaders of those countries might prefer stealthy long-term revenge, an organized affiliate like Hezbollah or a sympathetic lone wolf in America might not be so assuaged.
US military map of the region
Dread hangs like a heavy pall over much of America, including the families of LGBTQ members of an already weary volunteer military.
“Many of our military families are expressing a real sense of tiredness, dread, and sadness over the latest developments in the Middle East,” Stephen L. Peters II, a Marine veteran and Director of Communications and Marketing for Modern Military Association of America, tells the Los Angeles Blade. “While they continue to dig down deep to find what it takes to support their servicemembers through deployment after deployment, there’s no denying the seemingly endless conflicts are taking their toll. MMAA is working harder than ever to ensure these military families have the support system they desperately need, and we urge every American to show their appreciation however possible, regardless of their political persuasions.”
Waiting during the drums of war is dangerous for LGBTQ people.
“War would stoke nationalist fervor in both the U.S. and Iran, exactly the kind of populism that is so dangerous for those of us seen as different,” Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International,” tells the Los Angeles Blade. “In times of war, majorities scapegoat minorities, and the result is increased verbal and physical hatred toward those of us who are LGBTIQ, women, people of color, immigrant, or members of religious or ethnic minorities. Outright Action International opposes violence in all forms and strongly denounces US aggression towards Iran.”
Fear is palpable in the LGBTQ Iranian-American community in Los Angeles, too. The Los Angeles Blade has heard unconfirmed reports that LGBTQ Iranians have been reaching out for help from inside Iran and elsewhere. Additionally, some local LGBTQ Iranian Americans are fearful of talking to the press or being out and visible to anyone other than their immediate social circle for fear of repercussions here and abroad — a situation that has only intensified since the assassination. Some cite news reports of as many as 60 Iranian and Iranian-American U.S. citizens detained and questioned for up to 12 hours by federal officials at the U.S.-Canada border.
The Persian/Iranian community in Los Angeles grew dramatically after the fall of the modern but despotic Shah of Iran and the coming to power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, symbolized globally by the taking of American hostages in 1979. Since then the image of Iranian-Americans has fluctuated between being construed as Middle Eastern sleeper-cell terrorists after 9/11 (hence Trump’s Muslim ban) to being gaudy rich and overly self-absorbed as represented by Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset,” including mustachioed gay Reza Farahan.
Attorney Sepi Shyne, 42, a former and current candidate for West Hollywood City Council, has a unique perspective on the conflict. Born in Iran in 1977, a year before the Iran-Iraq War started, her father worked for the government-run oil company but supported pro-Western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, as did Shyne’s feminist mother.
Her father “was thrown in jail for a while because he spoke up against the mullahs. After that, we fled the country for our safety,” Shyne says. “My mom is such a feminist. In fact, she’s on Facebook with 5,000 friends, constantly posting in Farsi against the Islamic regime and giving inspiration to the women in Iran who are still really treated horribly under this regime.”
People have misconceptions about Iran. “It is very metropolitan” with “a lot of cultural sites because we do have so much history there.” But “people haven’t been happy with the regime … We’ve heard from family that hundreds and hundreds of people were shot dead” during the recent protests against the regime.
“Unfortunately, this act of killing Soleimani, as much as the anti-Islamic regime Iranians are happy that the guy has been killed because, finally, there’s some act against this regime,” she says. But “it seems like people now in Iran are becoming united against a common enemy, which is now the Trump administration.” On the other hand, Soleimani also kept ISIS out of Iran “and ISIS has been a nightmare for the Middle Eastern countries. It’s a really bad situation.”
After moving to the U.S. in 1982, Shyne experienced “regular bullying,” because she looked different from other kids at school. But the hostage crisis in Iran raised the bullying to a more intense level. “They started saying I’m a camel and all this race-related bullying,” she says. “My family and friends were very scared. Iranian college kids were threatened and had hate crimes committed against them.”
A similar fear is gripping Iranian-Americans now as hate crimes have increased because of an administration “that just tramples on people’s rights. We’ve seen it for three years now with every single group. We call Los Angeles ‘Tehrangeles’ because of the huge amount of Iranians that moved to Los Angeles as a result of the diaspora” who are concerned now about the extreme, volatile Trumpers.
“[Trump] leads with so much hate, that it elevates and stokes the anger in other people. And now we’ve had three anti-Semitic acts of violence in Los Angeles during the holidays. We had the attack on the Persian temple in Beverly Hills and two stores in West Hollywood, the Bayou and Block Party, got vandalized.
“I know that the LGBTQ community and the Jewish community have high rates of hate crimes against them, but these are just so blatant,” she says. “I never thought I would see this again. And so when Trump ordered the attack on Soleimani, the first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, my God, here we go.’”
Shyne thinks Trump might start a war just to distract from his impeachment. “I do believe he truly believes that’s the way to win reelection and, sadly, most presidents do when we’re in a time of war, so that’s even scarier,” she says.
As Middle Easterners during these times of conflict, “what usually happens is anyone who looks brown ends up being targets,” like Sikhs after 9/11. “I started carrying my passport in my backpack when they were throwing people in cages and separating children….I was so scared because if, for some reason, I can’t prove I’m a U.S. citizen and, in the chaotic government that we have right now, God forbid I get deported to Iran. I’m sure my name is on a list as a lesbian. I’m a very, very out….My mom is absolutely on a list because they monitor social media, the Iranian Islamic agency….I’m so visible, I can never go back to Iran because they would absolutely throw me in jail and then kill me.”
Other visible LGBTQ people have been targeted on social media, Shyne says.
But there has also been a lot more acceptance for LGBTQ Iranians in Los Angeles, she says, at least in the Jewish community. Shyne cites organizations like JQ (Jewish Queer) International that have done “an incredible job to educate the community,” though a lot of Iranians live in Northern California with no such organization as JQ.
“I’m not Jewish. I was born Muslim, but I’m nondenominational. I’m spiritual,” Shyne says. “But JQ was the first queer organization that had an Iranian focus as part of one of its queer Iranian programming that I ever found out about, so I thought it was pretty cool.” It also has an Iranian version of PFLAG, which is “very important.”
Shyne also notes another, newer nondenominational Iranian LGBTQ organization called RAHA International that also has a lot of programming, not just social events, for queer Iranians.
Shyne notes how essential it is for LGBTQ Iranians to support each other.
“Even [former Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad said, ‘We don’t have gay people in Iran.’ That’s the culture. They erase us,” Shyne says. “I came out when I was 19 to my mom and my family and I was the first ever out Iranian to come out to any of our family. It was very hard — it took about 10 years. And slowly, they went from tolerating to accepting and eventually, they’re all advocates now for the community, which is amazing.
“I knew the shift happened when they started coming out for the family to other people,” she says. “My brother was like, ‘Oh, my sister is a lesbian’ to people. I thought, ‘Oh, great. This is it. This is the goal.’ This is when you know, ‘okay, my work has been done now.’ But there are a lot of Iranians that still are in the closet. They’re afraid to come out because some of them travel back and forth. They maybe feel a little more free — but they’re still not out because they want to go back to Iran to visit their family and their loved ones and they love their country. They don’t want to give up the right to go back to Iran by coming out and putting themselves in danger.”
LGBTQ Iranian-Americans face a double concern in the U.S. conflict with Iran – being targeted for hate crimes here and fear of deportation and being killed in Iran.
Shyne said she saw the fear intensify during the Muslim travel ban. “What I was concerned about were the LGBTQ people being stuck in Iran and not being able to travel here” she says. “I was also thinking about all of the dictators in power in other countries and there are so many of them right now, way too many.”
But Shyne is also concerned about the dramatic increase in hate crimes in LA County. “I’m definitely concerned about hate crimes because the MAGA group of Trump supporters thrive on his words and his words are very dangerous. And Trump has made Middle Easterners an ‘enemy’ in the media because of all the wars we’ve been in,” Shyne says. “And now we’re at war again, pretty much.”
Sepi and Ashlei Shyne (Photo courtesy Shyne)
The concern is a family affair. Shyne is married to actress/writer Ashlei Shyne with whom she shares a dog named Chloe and three cats, Imon and Ameera that are Siamese twins, and Bastet, who is going to be 18 on March 3rd.
Ashlei Shyne has “a lot of concerns” primarily related to Sepi Shyne’s political visibility after she received numerous anti-Muslim comments.
“This is definitely a concern,” Shyne says. “But, for me, I think it’s more important to be courageous and stand up because I’m not the Iranian or the Middle Easterner that is what everybody thinks, right? I’m an out, liberal, lesbian, born-Muslim Iranian who is very spiritual.”
And spirited. Shyne says she became an attorney after experiencing the humiliation of discrimination while in college.
“My ex and I were holding hands at a coffee shop that was known to be gay-friendly in San Jose. The management had changed and the new manager was homophobic,” she says. “Next thing I know, a police officer and the manager were standing above us. The police officer looks down and says, ‘You two need to get up and leave. The management doesn’t want your kind in this establishment.’ Then cop blew a kiss and winked. We were terrified and we couldn’t call our family because we had just come out recently, so they weren’t going to be happy. We decided right then and there that we would go to law school, learn the law, and stop things like this from happening to others.”
But being an attorney is no guard against retaliatory terrorism. “I was actually fearful about the Women’s March that’s happening — but we do have a lot of domestic white terrorists in America,” says Shyne, adding that the “pretty savvy” Iranian government would more likely “target Trump properties to get back at him.”
Of continuing great concern, however, is how Iranian-Americans are perceived and treated. “If you see somebody being targeted, speak up. If you see a hate crime happening, try to help and intervene,” Shyne says. “The people of Iran do not hate America. Those people in the streets are the very conservative Islamic people. The majority of the people were the ones protesting that were shot and killed — 1,000 of them — by this government. It’s a delicate situation, but most Iranians don’t want this regime in power.”
Los Angeles
L.A. County Supervisors vote to declare local emergency in support of immigrant community members
What does this declaration mean, and what’s next?

On Tuesday morning, a downpour loomed heavy over the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration as leaders and supporters from grassroots coalitions like Immigrants are LA and the TransLatin@ Coalition gathered inside Room 140C. They were present for a press conference with County Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Janice Hahn, who together co-authored a motion to proclaim a local emergency in Los Angeles County in regards to the federal government’s actions targeting immigrant communities.
The press conference offered a moment of solidarity before the Board of Supervisors meeting happening immediately after, where the motion would be voted upon. “One of the grounds for declaring this emergency is that we can’t do it alone, and we know that county government cannot protect our residents alone,” Horvath told the Blade. “We need our cities to join with us. We need the state to join with us. That’s why declaring the state of emergency is so critical. That way, they know this isn’t business as usual. We need help.”
In the last four months, immigration operations and raids have become widespread in Los Angeles and throughout the country. In January, President Trump declared a national emergency targeting a “catastrophic immigration crisis” before issuing a proclamation “restricting the entry of foreign nationals” on the basis of national security in June. Three months later, the Supreme Court voted to pause restraining orders that would have limited immigration operations that, as advocates argued, violated civil rights.
In response to this, Supervisors Horvath and Hahn deemed it necessary to move forward with a proclamation of their own. But what does codifying and declaring a local emergency do?
“Clearing a local emergency allows the county to promulgate orders and regulations to provide for the protection of life and property,” explained Senior Assistant County Counsel Thomas J. Faughnan at the Board of Supervisors meeting. “It allows the county to request assistance from the state. It permits mutual aid to any affected area. It provides the county with certain legal immunities for emergency actions taken, and it permits the county to obtain vital supplies and equipment needed for the protection of life and property and the ability to require emergency services of county personnel.”
Supervisor Horvath also stressed that the declaration would allow local officials to accelerate various processes in locating and delivering support services to immigrant community members. “This is about action and speed. It means Los Angeles County can move faster. We can coordinate better. We can use every tool available to support and stabilize our communities,” Horvath said at the press conference. “Today, we declare an emergency — not from a place of panic, but from a place of purpose.”
It would be several hours before the proclamation was addressed at the board meeting. Still, over 10 people were waiting to be patched through on the phone so they could voice their opinions. Over 10 more people waited in person, and 79 others submitted their public comments online.
Many residents who spoke voiced their support for the declaration, echoing the importance of providing protections to their immigrant neighbors. There were also a few individuals who expressed opposition and hesitation about the potential consequences of relief efforts. One person, who only identified themself as “Doreen,” opposed potential eviction relief that could follow the declaration’s passing. “I disagree with the consideration of an eviction moratorium for those who are vulnerable. I truly believe the Board of Supervisors is operating on emotions and retaliation,” said Doreen. “So you mean to tell me that you would like to bend the law to conform to those who are here illegally?”
Amongst the five supervisors, there was general support for the declaration — but also some apprehension about what would come from it. “We see citizens and municipalities taking real, meaningful, tangible action against these federal agents being in their communities,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “Is there anything in this declaration that would empower us to take similar action?”
While these actions can only become clearer with the passing of the declaration, other matters were clarified through this discussion. For one, the declaration will not lead to requests to the federal government for mutual aid. Additionally, the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause — which states that, if conflicting with one another, federal laws take precedence over state laws — will not hold up in the instance of illegal actions committed by federal agents during their immigration operations.
After deliberation, the motion was passed, with the only “no” vote coming from Supervisor Kathryn Barger. This declaration of local emergency remains in effect until terminated by the Board of Supervisors, and a press release from Supervisor Horvath’s office states that county departments will be able to take “necessary emergency actions to protect and stabilize” impacted communities.
The Blade will follow up with further stories as these emergency actions are developed and rolled out.
Los Angeles
Trans and nonbinary immigrants experience greater levels of poverty, new report finds
A recent study looks into the disproportionate rates of homelessness and poverty trans and nonbinary immigrants face in L.A.

In a new report published by the Williams Institute, a local research center focused on conducting studies around LGBTQ+ communities and public policy, analysts reviewed data from the 2023-2024 L.A. County Trans and Nonbinary Survey and concluded that transgender and nonbinary immigrants face significantly greater rates of unemployment and homelessness than trans and nonbinary Angelinos who are not immigrants.
Created in partnership with the TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC), an organization that works to defend and advance the rights of trans, gender-expansive, and intersex (TGI) community members, and co-authored by TLC president Bamby Salcedo, the report looks more deeply into the 98 trans and nonbinary immigrants surveyed from a broader pool of 322 respondents in the initial 2023-2024 survey.
What were the key findings?
73% of the trans and nonbinary immigrants — and 80% of trans Latine immigrants — who were surveyed live at or below the federal poverty level, compared to 44% of trans and nonbinary non-immigrants surveyed. These numbers are not meant to pit these communities against one another, but rather to highlight the disproportionate amounts of poverty that trans and nonbinary people of color and immigrants face in the city.
39% of the trans and nonbinary immigrants polled also reported being unhoused, compared to 19% of the non-immigrant participants. 47% of the immigrant participants reported that they were unemployed, compared to 22% of non-immigrant participants.
Another wide discrepancy is revealed in access to educational resources. 30% of the TGI immigrant respondents, including 41% of TGI Latine immigrants, reported having less than a high school or GED level of education, compared to 8% of non-immigrants. Nearly half of the trans and nonbinary immigrants surveyed reported that they were unemployed, and 30% reported that they lacked health insurance and thus delayed seeking necessary medical care over the last year.
“It is essential that these communities are included in county-wide problem-solving and policymaking,” said Salcedo, in a press release about the study. Last month, the Blade reported on the TLC’s launch of its TGI: Housing Initiative, a campaign that would allow the organization to work with the county’s affordable housing solutions agency, LACAHSA, to invest funds into homelessness prevention resources for transgender, gender-expansive, and intersex community members. TLC members advocated for the initiative at LACAHSA’s board meeting on Sept. 17th. There have yet to be updates on whether or not the agency will support the initiative.
Another related Williams Institute report is set to be published later this month.
Los Angeles
The TransLatin@ Coalition campaigns for $20 million to support new housing initiative
If approved, the funds will go towards homelessness prevention

On Wednesday afternoon, over 50 people gathered in the heat outside the Metropolitan Water District. They waved large transgender pride flags and chanted at the top of their lungs: “Aquí está la resistencia trans!” Here is the trans resistance.
Leaders of the TransLatin@ Coalition (TLC), an organization formed by transgender, gender-expansive and intersex (TGI) Latine immigrants to support their fellow community members, led these jubilant calls for action at their press conference yesterday.
TLC organized this event to announce the launch of their new campaign, the TGI: Housing initiative. The group hopes to partner with the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA), an organization that was established in 2023 after the passing of SB 679: a bill aimed to increase affordable housing in the region.
What is TLC asking for? $20 million to invest into their communities. If approved, the funds would be allocated towards homelessness prevention resources like housing rental assistance and legal support clinics, specifically for TGI system-impacted individuals, seniors, transitional age youth, disabled community members and immigrants. “We are investing in people, not just programs,” said Queen Victoria Ortega at the press conference. Ortega is a chief visionary officer for the Connie Norman Transgender Empowerment Center.
“Housing is the foundation for opportunity,” Ortega continued. “When you are able to be in a safe, warm home, you’re able to take your medications. You’re able to take a respite. You’re able to think about the next step that you’re going to take. And really, why wouldn’t you want that for your neighbor? I end with saying: invest in trans lives.”
Authors of a June 2024 report published by the Williams Institute, a research center that informs public policy for LGBTQ+ communities, found that 47% of trans and nonbinary adults in the county live below 200% of the federal poverty level and face significant food insecurity and housing instability.
TLC is calling upon LACAHSA to utilize money from Measure A, a countywide half-cent sales tax that went into effect this April. The measure, meant to address the county’s homelessness crisis, generates over $1 billion annually and 33.75% of these funds are provided to LACAHSA. This amounts to over $380 million for the organization.
“Right now is the time for us to be invested in. We have a federal government who is trying to erase our existence,” said Bamby Salcedo, president and CEO of TLC, to the crowd. “That is why we’re calling on the LACAHSA board to commit to community engagement and partnership to ensure that this funding is community-led and that it is invested in all of us.”
Then, Salcedo led another chant. “Can we do it? When I say ‘People,’ you say ‘Power!’ People!” “Power!” Their voices carried like bells across the courtyard: a loud, clear and unbroken chorus.
As the press conference came to an end, TLC leaders encouraged community members to attend the LACAHSA board meeting happening right after, at 1 p.m. ChiChi Navarro, an active local advocate and a policy intern at TLC, explained how to make the most of their allotted minute during public comment. “Focus on your experiences,” said Navarro. “Focus on what you’ve gone through whenever you’ve tried to acquire housing. We understand that as a community, sometimes we’re affected simply for being who we are — and they need to listen to that. We are here in numbers so we won’t be silenced. Aquí está la resistencia trans!”
Many walked into the board room together at the Metropolitan Water District. Over ten community members took to the podium to share their personal experiences with homelessness, in both Spanish and English.
“As transgender, non-conforming and intersex individuals, we face unique challenges, especially those of us who are people of color, disabled or trans women who’ve experienced violence,” said Arianna Taylor, who was unhoused for three years. “$20 million allocated for TGI housing represents more than just funding. It represents hope, dignity and safety for people who, like me, have been forced to navigate a world of violence, stigma and exclusion.”
As Salcedo and her fellow TLC staff wait to hear more updates from LACAHSA, they will return to their work: empowering their community. “I’m really grateful that people are understanding that they have to advocate for themselves,” Salcedo told the Blade. “It is important for us to speak about what our needs are, and also try to find a solution. And please do come to our organization and see how we can support you.”
Los Angeles
LGBTQ+ proponents respond to “devastating” Supreme Court ruling
Supreme Court allows “unlawful” immigration operations to continue

Since June, federal agencies began conducting mass immigration operations in Los Angeles and other major cities. For just as long, local residents, leaders, and advocacy groups have challenged their arrest and detainment practices, citing that their methods have violated constitutional rights.
In July, individual workers were joined by organizations like the Los Angeles Worker Center Network and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in filing a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that federal agents had been illegally arresting people based on their perceived race, language and work — a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
As a result, two temporary restraining orders were issued, barring federal agents from stopping individuals without reasonable suspicion. DHS was also ordered to provide access to legal counsel for detainees.
On Monday, the Supreme Court voted to end this and granted the federal government’s application for a stay — or pause — of the temporary restraining orders. This will allow immigration operations to continue, and how they will proceed worries local leaders.
“This Supreme Court ruling strikes at the heart of who we are as a nation—allowing immigration agents to stop and detain people for little more than speaking Spanish or having brown skin,” wrote District 51 Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ civil liberty. “This endangers our communities, undermines our democracy, and erodes constitutional rights.”
Some city officials hope to continue providing resources and support to affected community members. “As the raids were taking place across the region and in our own City, we took immediate action to ensure there are adequate resources to care for and support immigrants and their families,” wrote West Hollywood mayor Chelsea Byers. “This work will continue.”
West Hollywood was one of several Los Angeles county municipalities that filed a motion to intervene in the ongoing lawsuit, calling for the court to stop the federal government from conducting unlawful stops and searches that were based on assumed race and not on probable cause. It also activated its West Hollywood Responds program to raise awareness on available services like legal toolkits and training, consultations, access to free meals and more.
Local organizations are also extending their support. “The Supreme Court’s ruling is a devastating setback for Latine and immigrant communities, especially LGBTQ+ people who already face immense barriers to safety and belonging,” wrote Terra Russell-Slavin, the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s chief strategy officer. Russell-Slavin explained that the center has expanded free legal clinics both virtually and throughout the city to provide Know Your Rights workshops and other immigration and asylum support services.
“You are not alone,” Russell-Slavin continued. “And the Center will continue to stand with you.”
On September 24, the federal district court will hold a hearing to consider additional evidence and a possible preliminary injunction that will pause this most recent ruling.
Kristie Song reports for the Blade courtesy of the California Local News Fellowship
California
Williams Institute reports impact of deportations on LGBTQ immigrants
Latest report suggests transgender, nonbinary and intersex immigrants face significantly higher safety risks

Williams Institute at UCLA has released its latest report, highlighting the intersection between LGBTQ and immigration issues and the impact of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles on LGBTQ people.
According to the brief, LGBTQ immigrants who hold legal status, but who are not naturalized citizens may also face challenges to their legal right to reside in the U.S.
Recent reports indicate that non-citizens with legal status are being swept up in immigration operations and several forms of legal status which were granted at the end of the Biden administration are being revoked. Those include: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for some Venezuelan immigrants, as well as those from Afghanistan and Cameroon, while Haitian nationals are now facing shortened protection periods, by up to six months.
The Justice Department has proposed a new rule which grants the government border authority to revoke green card holders’ permanent residency status at any time. This rule is currently under review by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which could significantly affect non-citizens who are currently documented to reside in the county legally.
Supervisorial District 1, under Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, and Supervisorial District 2, under Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell would particularly be affected as it contains the city center of Los Angeles and nearly 29,000 LGBTQ, noncitizens would face the harshest impact. Those two districts contain many of the county’s historically Black, Latin American and Asian, Pacific Islander neighborhoods.
For transgender, nonbinary and intersex immigrants arrested or detained by ICE, there are additional impacts regarding how federal law defines biological sex and gender identity. The Trump administration has signed an executive order which redefines “sex” under federal law to exclude TGI individuals. This adds an extra thick layer of possible violence when TGI individuals are placed in detention centers or in holding that does not correspond to their identity.
According to the report, ‘transgender, non-binary, and intersex immigrants must navigate an
immigration and asylum system without information about how federal agents will respond to their gender identity and with the risk of greater violence if placed in detention centers, given the effects of this executive order.’
The brief estimates the number or foreign-born adults in Los Angeles County who will be potentially affected by the Trump administration’s executive orders on mass deportations.

Graphic courtesy of Williams Institute at UCLA.
Using previous data from other Williams Institute Studies and reports from the University of Southern California Dornsife Equity Research Institute and data from the Pew Research Center, the latest brief states that there are over 1.35 million LGBTQ-identifying people across the U.S., with 30% of them residing in California.
The report further points to 122,000 LGBTQ immigrants who reside within LA County specifically, making Los Angeles County home to about 10% of all LGBTQ adult immigrants in the U.S.
While 18% of those Angelenos are foreign-born, only around 7%, or 49,000 of them do not hold legal status.
Using research from the Pew Center and applying an estimate, that means that there are approximately 23,000 undocumented LGBTQ across LA County and the remaining 26,000 LGBTQ immigrants in the county have some form of legal status.
Among the LGBTQ population of adult immigrants in California, approximately 41,000 are transgender or nonbinary. That figure also points toward approximately 5,200 of them residing in LA County. According to the proportions applied for this estimate, the Williams Institute approximates that around 3,100 transgender and nonbinary immigrants in LA County are naturalized citizens, over 1,100 have legal status and just under 1,000 are undocumented.
According to a brief released in February by the Williams Institute, ‘mass deportations could impact 288,000 LGBTQ undocumented immigrants across the U.S.
Los Angeles
LA Black Pride: ‘We are no longer waiting to be seen’
Joy as power, presence as protest, visibility that refuses to be diminished

As Los Angeles Black Pride (LABP) gears up for another saucy season of celebration, culture, and resistance, we are proud to announce a new six-week media partnership between LABP and the Los Angeles Blade. This collaboration is not just promotion but intention. It is about making sure Black queer voices are not just heard, but honored and amplified.
To kick it off, we are excited to announce that Saucy Santana will headline LABP’s Saturday night main stage. Known for their unapologetic energy, queer-centric bops, and fearless showmanship, Santana represents exactly what LABP is about — joy as power, presence as protest, and visibility that refuses to be diminished.
The theme for LABP 2025 is “Black Queer Futures Are Now: We Are No Longer Waiting to Be Seen.” Our partnership sets the tone for what’s to come. It is a shared commitment to telling Black queer stories, past and present, and investing in what’s to come.
What started as a party born out of necessity has now become a full-scale movement. LABP Executive Director Brandon Anthony, who began his journey throwing parties like Ice Cream Thursdays, recounts the roots of this project:
“It started off as something I felt was missing… a space that felt like us: where the music hit right, where the energy felt familiar, and where we could just be,” he says. “What began as a vibe we needed grew into a platform. Now, it’s a business, a brand, a movement, but at the heart of it, I’m still just someone who wanted to create space for my community to feel good, feel seen, and feel proud.”
From nightlife to nationwide recognition, LABP is proof that when Black queer folks create for themselves, the result is not just representation, it’s revolution. In a landscape where many Pride events still sideline Black and Brown voices, LABP has become a necessary act of reclamation.
“Because if we don’t, who will?” Anthony asks. “Too often we get left out or placed in the background. Our energy, our style, our voices — we drive the culture. When we center ourselves, it gives others permission to do the same. Joy is more than a feeling, it’s a form of resistance.”
That resistance has never been more needed. From limited funding to systemic erasure, LABP continues to thrive against the odds. But the message is clear: thriving should never necessitate struggle.
“We’re not just asking for visibility — we’re asking for the tools to thrive,” he explains. “Now more than ever, we need partners who are aligned with the people, not just the optics.”
With the 2025 theme of “Legacy and Leadership in Action,” LABP honors the trailblazers who paved the way. Icons like Jewel Thais-Williams, founder of the legendary Catch One, are celebrated annually through the Jewel Thais-Williams Award.
“Catch One wasn’t just a nightclub, it was a safe haven,” Anthony shares. “Legacy isn’t just about the past. It’s about lifting up the folks doing the work right now and keeping that energy alive.”
LABP continues that work through programming that extends far beyond June. Year-round initiatives include pop-up markets, health services, creative workshops, and political advocacy.
“One of the moments that really showed what we stand for was the All Black Lives Matter march in 2020,” he says. “We co-led it alongside Gerald Garth, and it was powerful to see thousands show up for Black Trans lives. That wasn’t just a moment – it was a movement.”
Whether it’s showcasing emerging artists on stage, uplifting Black trans creatives, or building platforms for new leaders, LABP is focused on making sure the next generation has room to grow.
“When people are given a platform to show what they can do, it creates more than visibility, it creates momentum,” he says. “That’s what keeps everything moving forward.”
And with names like Saucy Santana taking center stage, that movement is gaining speed. Santana’s headlining performance isn’t just a concert — it’s a declaration. It says that Black queer talent is main-stage worthy, every time. This partnership is not performative – it’s purposeful. It’s a bridge between platforms, audiences, and shared values.
“LA Blade has a huge reach, and by choosing to amplify Black queer voices, they’re helping bridge gaps and build deeper understanding,” says Anthony. “This isn’t about charity or tokenism. It’s about showing the world who we are, what we’re building, and why it deserves to be seen.”
In the words of LABP’s ongoing mission: We are no longer waiting to be seen. We are building what’s next.
a&e features
Cumbiatón returns to Los Angeles right in time for Pride season
‘Que viva la joteria,’ translates roughly to “Let the gayness live”

Healing and uplifting communities through music and unity is the foundation of this event space created by Zacil “DJ Sizzle Fantastic” Pech and Norma “Normz La Oaxaqueña” Fajardo.
For nearly a decade DJ Sizzle has built a reputation in the queer POC and Spanish-speaking undocumented communities for making the space for them to come together to celebrate their culture and partake in the ultimate act of resistance — joy.

Couples, companions, comadres all dance together on the dancefloor at Cumbiatón. (Photo courtesy of Cumbiatón).
Cumbiatón was created during the first Trump administration as a direct response to the erasure, racism, homophobia and xenophobia that was engrained into the administration’s mission for those first four years. Now that the second Trump administration is upon us, the racism, homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia are tenfold.
This event space is a ‘party for the hood, by the hood.’ It is led by women, queer and trans people of color in every aspect of the production process.
The recent fires that burned through Altadena and Pacific Palisades made DJ Sizzle decide to step back from marketing the event in Los Angeles, an area where people had just lost their businesses, homes and where their lives were completely thrown for a loop.
Now they’re back, doubling-down on their mission to bring cumbias, corridos and all the music many of us grew up listening to, to places that are accessible and safe for our communities.
“I started Cumbiatón back in 2016, right after the election — which was weirdly similar because we’re going through it again. And a lot of us come from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) movement. We were the ones to really push for that to happen along with the DREAM Act.”
DJ Sizzle says that she wanted to create a space out on the streets to celebrate life and come together, because of how mentally and physically taxing it is to be a part of the marginalized communities that were and still are, a major target for ongoing political attacks.

Edwin Soto and Julio Salgado pose for a photo at a Cumbiaton event in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Cumbiatón).
“We need these spaces so that we can kind of refuel and rejoice in each other’s existence,” said DJ Sizzle. “Because we saw each other out on the street a lot, but never did we really have time to sit down, have a drink, talk, laugh. So I found that music was the way to bring people together and that’s how Cumbiatón got started. It was honestly like a movement of political resistance through music.”
DJ Sizzle is an undocumented community organizer who aims to not only bring awareness to the issues that her communities face, but also to make space to celebrate the wins and bond over the music that brings people in Latin America, East L.A., Boyle Heights and the Bay area together.
Julio Salgado, a queer, visionary artist and migrant rights activist from Ensenada, Baja California with roots in Long Beach and the Bay Area, connected with DJ Sizzle over their shared passion in advocating for immigrant rights.
“Cumbiatón was created during the first [Trump] administration, where you know, a lot of people were really bummed out and so what Sizzle wanted to create was a place where people could come together and celebrate ourselves,” said Salgado. “Fast-forward to the second [Trump] administration and we’re here and feel a little bit more like: ‘oh shit, things are bad again.’ But, things have always been bad.”
Salgado is involved with Cumbiatón through his art. He is a mixed-media artist who creates cartoons using his lived experience with his sobriety journey, undocumented status and queer identity.
With a background in journalism from California State University, Long Beach, Salgado documents what activists do in the undocumented spaces he has been a part of throughout his life.
In 2017, Salgado moved back to Long Beach from the Bay Area, and at the time he started doing political artwork and posters for protests against the first Trump administration, but because the nature of that work can be very tiring, he says that he turned to a more uplifting version of his art where he also draws the joy and unity in his communities.
When he and Sizzle linked up to collaborate during that time, he thought he could use his skills to help uplift this brand and bring it to the forefront of the many events that saturate the party landscape.

DJ Sizzle doing her thing on stage, giving the crowd the music they went looking for. (Photo courtesy of Cumbiatón).
“We are familiar with using the dance floor as a way to kind of put the trauma a little bit away just for one night, get together and completely forget,” said Salgado.
Coming from an undocumented background, Salgado and Sizzle say that their experience with their legal status has made them very aware of how to go about the ID-check process at the door for their events.
“When you’re undocumented, you have something called a [High Security Consular Registration (HSCR)] and it’s kind of like your ID and many of these heterosexual clubs would see that and say it was fake,” said Salgado. “But at the gay club, they didn’t care.”
Just being conscious of what that form of ID looks like and knowing that it’s not fake, helps many of the hundreds of people who come through for Cumbiatón, feel just slightly more at ease.
Edwin Soto, who is another community activist and leader in the undocu-queer community, is also involved in the planning and organizing of the event.
In the long journey of making Cumbiatón what it is now, they say that they have all been very intentional about who they bring in, making sure that whoever they are, they also understand the experience of being undocumented and accepted anyway.
“Something that Sizzle and the team have been very intentional about is making sure that [the security at the door] knows that someone might be using their consulate card,” said Soto.
Bringing together this event space is no easy task, considering the fact that their events are deeply thought out, intentional and inclusive of not just people of color, but also people with differing abilities and people who do not reflect the norm in West Hollywood clubs.
“We created the space that we were longing for that we did not see in West Hollywood,” he said. “[Cumbiatón] is what life could really be like. Where women are not harassed by men. Where people are not body-shamed for what they’re wearing.”
When it comes to their lives outside of Cumbiatón and partying, Sizzle says that it does get exhausting and planning the event gets overwhelming.
“It is really difficult, I’m not going to lie,” said DJ Sizzle. “We are at a disadvantage being queer and being undocumented because this administration triggers us to a point that, anyone who is not a part of those identities or marginalized communities would ever be able to understand,” said Sizzle. “There are times where I’m just like: ‘I’m going to cocoon for a little bit’ and then that affects the marketing and the communication.”

Usually, the events bring in hundreds of people who are looking for community, safety and inclusion. (Photo courtesy of Cumbiatón).
That’s a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes — which really shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone who is out there fighting for basic human rights, while also making the space to party and enjoy themselves.
“I’m really trying to find balance and honestly my life raft are my friends and my community,” she said. “Like, being able to share, being able to have this plática, and be like ‘bitch, I see you and I know its fucked up, but we got each other.’”
Cumbiatón was made with the purpose of making space to include and invite the many different people in these communities who are otherwise sidelined in broader conversations and in party scenes where they are not as inclusive or thoughtful about their attendees.
“How beautiful is it to be queer and listen to rancheras and to norteñas and cumbia, and to just own it,” said Soto.
To join Cumbiatón at their next party, visit their Instagram page.
California
LA Pride 2025 announces grand marshals and parade theme
The parade will also pay tribute to the city’s first responders, relief organizations, agencies, officials and others who stepped up during the January fires

The theme for the parade set to take place on Sunday June 8, at 11 a.m., will fittingly be “Pride Marches On,” and this year’s parade grand marshals will be Niecy Nash-Betts and wife Jessica Betts, Andrew Rannells, and Trino Garcia and Adam Vasquez, who are also known as ‘TrinoxAdam.’
Rannells, a Grammy-winning, two-time Tony-nominated actor celebrated for his work on stage, screen, and television, is this year’s LA Pride Celebrity Grand Marshal.
“I’m truly honored to be this year’s Celebrity Grand Marshal of LA Pride,” said Rannells. “I don’t take it lightly and I just hope in some small way I can reflect the strength and resilience of the queer community, especially in times like these.”
Rannells made his TV directorial debut with Amazon’s “Modern Love” and is widely recognized for his role as Elijah Krantz on HBO’s “Girls,” which garnered a Critics Choice nomination. He recently appeared on Hulu’s “Welcome to Chippendales” and Showtime’s “Black Monday,” earning him yet another Critics Choice nomination. Rannells is also an author, director and Broadway actor.
Nash-Betts, one-half of this years Vanguard Marshals, is a multi-talented Emmy Award-winning actress, producer and director who has captivated audiences on many projects across the big screens. Soon, she will be making a big appearance starring opposite Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor and Glenn Close, in Ryan Murphy’s “All’s Fair” Hulu TV series about an all-female legal firm.
Chicago native Betts will join her wife Nash-Betts as the other half of this years Vanguard Grand Marshal’s of the parade. Betts is an acclaimed singer-songwriter known for her original electric and acoustic rock and soul music. The two have been married since 2020 and in 2022, they made history as the first same-sex couple to grace the cover of Essence magazine, receiving a nomination for a GLAAD Media Award.
“We are thrilled to have Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts as this year’s Vanguard Grand Marshals,” said Gloria Bigelow, CSW board member. “As individuals and as a couple, they exemplify the beauty of living authentically and embracing love in all its forms. Their presence serves as a shining example for our community, reminding us to celebrate who we are, love fiercely and never back down from our Pride.”
TrinoxAdam will be this years Community Grand Marshals. The two are a loving gay couple who have dazzled the queer, Latin community with their content showcasing how they reclaim the cholo, or ‘xolo’ identities. They went viral on social media after sharing a romantic kiss on a bridge overlooking the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. Now famous on social media, the two make content about their love, challenging traditional perceptions of masculinity, sexuality and Chicano culture.
“Pride is about loving yourself and accepting yourself for who you truly are,” said Trino Garcia and Adam Vasquez. “Being this year’s LA Pride’s Community Grand Marshals is the biggest honor and our greatest accomplishment, knowing we’ve made an impact and helped people find acceptance within themselves and finally feel the true meaning of Pride.”
This year, the parade will also pay tribute to the city’s first responders, relief organizations, agencies, officials and others who stepped up during the fires that devastated Altadena and Pacific Palisades, in a special “Heroes of the Wildfires” section in the lineup.

Los Angeles County Fire Department marches in the 2024 LA Pride Parade. (Photo courtesy of LA Pride)
“This year LA Pride marks a pivotal moment for both the Los Angeles and LGBTQ communities,” said Gerald Garth, CSW board president. “Despite facing unimaginable challenges, our community has always emerged stronger. This year’s theme, ‘Pride Marches On,’ symbolizes the strength of our community, and no matter the fire, hate or fear, Pride will always forge ahead. We look forward to embodying this spirit while celebrating resilience, hope and togetherness.”
The parade will be hosted by “Good Morning America” Saturday and Sunday co-anchor and ABC News transportation correspondent Gio Benitez and “ABC7 Eyewitness News” anchors Ellen Leyva and Coleen Sullivan.
After the Parade, LA Pride will host LA Pride Village on Hollywood Boulevard. Now in its fourth year, this free street festival will feature programming on two stages, welcome over 80 booths with local vendors and nonprofits, dozens of sponsor activations, giveaways, games, scores of food trucks, and two 21+ full-service bars.
For the third year in a row, LA Pride will also be featuring “Ballroom Battle,” the voguing competition created by New York City’s Black and Brown LGBTQ+ communities made famous by the documentary, “Paris is Burning,” Madonna, and the FX show “Pose.” LA’s premiere ballroom houses such as House of Miyake Mugler, House of Ninja, and House of Gorgeous Gucci will compete in front of celebrity judges, including Margaret Cho, who will also be in the parade, riding with longtime LA Pride alumni Project Angel Food.
A curated art exhibition called “Bring the T” will feature works in multiple media by trans artists that represent and explore themes around trans discrimination and erasure but also activism, determination and fearlessness.
The parade is set to broadcast live on Sunday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT on ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles.
The live broadcast will include comprehensive coverage from ABC7 news reporters David González, Sophie Flay and Kevin Ozebek, who will be reporting directly from the parade route, capturing all the festivities.
Features
Meet the new co-presidents of the NLGJA LA Chapter
The National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association’s LA Chapter under new leadership

An award-winning documentary filmmaker and a news producer make up the dynamic duo who now run the Los Angeles chapter of the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists.
NLGJA is a nationally recognized affinity group meant to unite journalists from dozens of different industries, who identify as members of the LGBTQ community.
The national chapter recognizes the work and contributions of LGBTQ journalists who work to further the narratives by queer, trans and gender non-conforming people.
Hansen Bursic, 27, pisces, is one half of the dynamic duo who now run the L.A chapter.
Katie Karl, 30, gemini, forms the other half.
Last year, Bursic and Karl took over as interim co-presidents and have been able to grow the local chapter to include a diverse and wide range of voices on the Board of Directors and on the membership list.
The chapter has hosted a long list of events that include collaborations with other local and national organizations with roots in Los Angeles, such as GALECA: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics and the Asian American Journalists Association.
It became the first time in the Los Angeles chapter’s history that there was such a shift in leadership, with two people taking over the leading role.
“It was just too big of a job for one of us to do, especially in rebuilding. So we decided to get together and come on as co-president’s, which was recommended by the national president, Ken Miguel,” said Karl.
When it comes to the chapter’s mission, Bursic says it’s a two-fold goal.
“We want to build a sense of community for queer and trans journalists in Southern California and we also want to advocate for those journalists any chance we get by building the spaces where journalists can meet each other, breaking down barriers and trying to reduce gatekeeping of opportunities for our members so they can thrive and find a place in Southern California newsrooms,” he said.
Many of the events that are hosted by the NLGJA LA Chapter are free and open to the general public through RSVP. One of the common misconceptions the affinity group faces, is that many people feel as though their work may not directly correspond to the work pursued by current members of the group. However, that is not the case.
“Together, we really want to make sure that everyone feels included,” said Karl. “I’m in broadcast and Hansen is in documentary and together we really push to make sure that no matter what kind of journalist you are, you know there is a space for you and you feel welcomed.”
The organization welcomes members and people to attend their public events, who work in industries that are adjacent to the work journalists do and those who might just be creatives with multi-hypenated titles.
Bursic has a full-time day job in communications for a nonprofit, but his creative work extends far beyond his work in communications. His energy and passion lie in documentary filmmaking. Bursic recently directed and produced “Trans Heaven Pennsylvania” (2024). The 12-minute documentary is about the 2010s in Pennsylvania, where each year, a group of trans women would take over a small American town for a week-long party. The documentary was funded through the Creative Hope Initiative, an incubator for emerging LGBTQ filmmakers sponsored by Traverse32 and Outfest Film Festival.
The film most recently screened internationally in London, at the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club. Its next screening will be at the Grandview Theater Drafthouse & Cinema in Columbus, Ohio on May 3rd.
Bursic has a notable list of accomplishments, including making the 30 under 30 list at Temple University in 2023. He has also been named a DOC NYC Documentary New Leader, has had a spot in the Ford Foundation Rockwood Documentary Leadership Fellowship and Sundance Film Festival Press Fellowship.
Karl was born and raised in the Greater Los Angeles area, is a dedicated news producer with extensive experience in live news coverage and team coordination. Currently a freelance writer and producer at KABC, she brings years of experience from her work at stations like KPNX, KHQ and KEYT.
Karl, says the experience of connecting with the members more, has been really rewarding.
“Going forward, my goal is to grow the chapter in name and recognition,” said Karl. “I want our [reach to get] across other organizations in other areas of journalism and that’s why I joined the board in the first place.”
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Blade names new publisher
Alexander Rodriguez brings deep media, business experience to outlet

The Los Angeles Blade, Southern California’s leading LGBTQ news outlet, today announced the appointment of a new publisher, Alexander Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has a long background in queer media, business development, and a deep commitment to the Los Angeles community. He has worked as a lead writer and podcast host for Metrosource Magazine and for GED Magazine; content director for FleshBot Gay; and as host and producer for the “On the Rocks” podcast. On the business side, Rodriguez spent years working in business development in the banking industry throughout Los Angeles. He also has an extensive background in event planning and management and has served on the boards of many LGBTQ non-profits. As a TV and radio personality, he has served as emcee for LGBTQ events around the nation.
“I’m excited to bring my diverse media and business experience to the Los Angeles Blade,” Rodriguez said. “We will continue the Blade’s mission of serving as our community’s news outlet of record during these challenging times and work toward building bridges within our community and beyond.”
Rodriguez starts in his new role on Monday, Feb. 3.
“We are thrilled to welcome Alexander to the Blade team,” said Kevin Naff, one of the owners of the Los Angeles Blade. “His multimedia and business side experience will help us grow the Blade in L.A. and continue our commitment to best-in-class journalism serving the LGBTQ community in Southern California.”
Rodriguez becomes the Los Angeles Blade’s second publisher following the unexpected death of founding publisher Troy Masters in December. Masters served in the role for nearly eight years. The community will come together for a celebration of Masters’s life on Monday, Feb. 10, 7-9 p.m. at the Abbey.
“Troy’s legacy is in good hands with Alexander at the helm alongside our new local news editor, Gisselle Palomera,” Naff added.
The Los Angeles Blade, launched in 2017, celebrates its eighth anniversary in March. It is the sister publication of the Washington Blade, founded in 1969, which offers unmatched coverage of queer political news and is the only LGBTQ outlet in the White House press pool and the White House Correspondents’ Association, and the only LGBTQ outlet with a dedicated seat in the White House briefing room.
Alexander Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected].
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