By Miranda Ynez

Self Help Graphics & Art participated in Mi Centro’s Latinx Leadership Roundtable meeting on February 15, 2019. The roundtable focused on restorative justice tools while working with LGBTQ+ youth. Emily Grijalva, Restorative Justice Coordinator at Mendez High School, led the presentation focusing on supporting LGBTQ+ youth in the classroom and beyond. Grijalva began her presentation asking the prompt, “what kind of adult did [you] need growing up?” to have the roundtable reflect on the tools and resources they can provide to heal and share with LGBTQ+ youth through their work in the community.

The Leadership Roundtable is a group of more than 15 organizations, institutions of faith and businesses that support the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. The roundtable is a forum to strengthen dialogue and promote opportunities for collaboration within the Latinx LGBTQ+ community.

Partnering with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Latino Equality Alliance (LEAD), Mi Centro was established as the first facility that creates access to bilingual social services for LGBTQ+ Latinos on the Eastside and neighboring communities. The space offers culturally adapted, community-informed bilingual services operated by the center and LEA that includes immigration and housing support, legal services, transgender support services, youth and senior programming, family counseling and empowerment programs. Learn more about the partnership between LEA and the Los Angeles LGBT Center here.

Miranda Ynez is a Self Help Graphics & Art Project Manager and an Arts Management professional committed to increasing participation in the arts and culture through our local communities. Story edited by Jennifer Cuevas.