Santa Clara County is celebrating a decade of providing services to LGBTQ+ residents through an official department.
The Office of LGBTQ Affairs on Friday celebrated its 10-year anniversary amid a Pride Month flag raising ceremony, resource fair and inclusive “lavender” graduation for LGBTQ+ high school and college students. The county department hosted the event in partnership with the county Office of Education and San Jose State University Queer Hope Institute. Featured speakers included Assemblymember Alex Lee, the first openly bisexual state lawmaker in California history, and former county Supervisor Ken Yeager, who in 1992 became the first openly gay public official in Santa Clara County.
The celebration included performances by drag queens and LGBTQ+ Mexican folklorico dancers. Sera Fernando, manager of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, said the lavender graduation was designed to make youth feel safe, welcome and free to be their authentic selves amid anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and challenges to trans rights on the national stage.
“It continues the legacy of joy, celebration, equity, justice and resilience … and makes sure we’re responsive to the needs of all LGBTQ+ residents,” Fernando told San José Spotlight.
The Office of LGBTQ Affairs provides resources for LGBTQ+ residents, advocates for services and advises the county on policies. Yeager helped create the department after he called for a health assessment of the LGBTQ+ community in 2013.
“When we would receive constituent calls or emails dealing with LGBTQ issues, we were happy to deal with them — but there really wasn’t any other organization or person in the entire county network that was in charge of doing those kind of services,” Yeager told San José Spotlight. “I was always very worried that once we were gone, everything we had done would stop. Who would have thought that we would be dealing with this backlash to trans rights when we thought we were on the path to a better day? Other jurisdictions should take heed … if you just leave it to chance, these services are not going to be provided.”
Lee said while Santa Clara County celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its LGBTQ+ office, San Francisco doesn’t have one.
“We are a model for not just the rest of California, but … the nation,” he said at the event. “It is important for us to be front and center, to be here and to be queer. This office is one of those bedrock institutions that maintains our presence and maintains our rights.”
Two regional cities, Santa Clara and San Jose, have supported the LGBTQ+ population in years past by creating rainbow crosswalks and celebrating Pride month. San Jose also holds an annual Pride parade in August and is home to the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center, which provides a community safe space and advocates for LGBTQ+ issues.
Danny Castillo, program coordinator for the Queer Hope Institute, said although some universities hold lavender graduations, there was a need among LGBTQ+ high school students to be celebrated. The institute reached out to the county and they combined events.
Bonnie Sugiyama, director of San Jose State University PRIDE Center and Gender Equity Center, appreciated the county celebrating LGBTQ+ youth.
“Being able to do it in front of the community that’s going to be here tonight, that they know will love and support and hold them for who they completely are … is something that’s special,” Sugiyama told San José Spotlight.
Susan Ellenberg, who represents District 4 on the Board of Supervisors, said while the federal government and other states are “doing their damnedest to erase this population,” the county is working to ensure its LGBTQ+ residents can access care, support and resources that are affirming and responsive to their needs.
“Pride began as a rallying cry, a demand to exist openly, safely and with dignity,” she said at the event. “When we raise the pride flag and the progress flag here at Santa Clara County, we are making a visible statement that LGBTQ+ residents, youth, families, employees and community members belong here, are valued here and deserve to be celebrated.”
Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected].
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