Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a platform for the Latino/a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex communities. We are working as individuals and organizations to foster our unity and advancement through educational, cultural, social, political and leadership development activities. The basis of all our efforts is rooted in our Latino/a heritage and queer pride.

The Latino Forum is responsible for creating and hosting community wide educational, social, cultural and civic activities targeting the Latino LGBT community. Past activities include: Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Latino Community BBQ, and Latino performance and art nights.

As a Community Initiative of the Center, Latino Forum is volunteer-run and depends on the ideas and energy of the organizing committee and other volunteers for its success. If you are interested in joining Latino Forum, please contact Jennifer V. at 415.865.5649 or jenniferv@sfcenter.org

Past Events
November 2nd, 7pm - 9pm
Day of the Dead Celebration
Dia de Los Muertos: Celebramos la Vida

July 26, 6pm - 8pm
COMPOSING CULTURES: Queer Women Writers Speak About Diversity

EQUAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS FOR ALL LATINO FAMILIES
A Latina/o Community Town Hall Meeting In San Francisco

presented by the Latino Forum in coalition with

Association of Gay Latinos/Latinas United to Empower
Ourselves (AGUILAS)
Equality California (EQCA)
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
Latino Equality
The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)

Thursday, August 18, 2005 -

The Latino Forum, in coalition with the above named organizations, was proud to sponsor the first ever Latina/o Community Town Hall to discuss same sex marraige and the repercussions of the proposed California state constitutional amendment. Along with Assemblymember Mark Leno and NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendall, local community leaders and members addressed the religious, financial, political, and legal aspects of this amendment. Robert Ortega, Representative to Mayor Gavin Newsom, candidly spoke of the multiple hurdles that must be overcome when coming out in a Latina/o family and the Montesino family showed the love and security that will be jeopordized if this amendment passes.

Details of the constitutional amendment are described below in a statement issued by EQ|CA and NCLR.

Ballot Initiatives

Proposed constitutional amendments will repeal the existing safety net for legally recognized domestic partners and permanently ban marriage protections for same-sex couples.  The impact of any one of these amendments would be devastating to hundreds of thousands of California families by taking away nearly all the responsibilities and protections currently afforded to legally recognized domestic partners.

In May 2005, and unprecedented number of organizations launched the Equality for All campaign.  Equality for All aims to defeat any proposed ballot initiative that would amend California’s constitution to permanently deny marriage protections for same-sex couples and eliminate the rights, protections and responsibilities afforded to legally recognized domestic partners.

The Sacramento Bee notes that "Two separate groups have won approval to gather signatures for proposed constitutional amendments that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California and strip domestic partners of rights they gained in recent years," and that "Backers must collect 598,105 signatures by Dec. 22 to qualify the measures for the June ballot."

Get Involved!

The Center is active in providing education about the effects of the ballot initiatives on the community. Thom Lynch, Executive Director of The Center sits on the Equality for All Campaign Board and chairs the media committee for the state campaign.

The Center needs you to be involved with its Project to Protect Marriage and Domestic Partnership! Help educate and inform about the terrible effects a ballot initiative for a proposed California constitution amendment to remove existing protections for domestic partners and to permanently ban same-sex marriage.

Register as a volunteer for The Center and sign up here to be connected to voter ID projects, community forums, data entry and other activities coming soon!