Community members, leaders, and activists met at the San Diego LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest on Monday, Oct. 30 to band together for the advancement of the Latinx, the gender neutral term for Latino, community.

The second monthly meeting of the San Diego County LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) Latinx Coalition was a bilingual conversation about structure and support.

To begin, all members introduced themselves, including their preferred pronouns and if they represented any organizations. Members of the coalition voiced their opinions and their struggles, and they discussed the structure and goals of the group.

Although many coalition members translated for themselves, a Spanish translator was provided. Carolina Alcoser Ramos explained that the group was “trying to build a community.” She teared up when she spoke about how the LGBTQ folks in San Diego needed each other more than ever.

The group ate tacos and quesadillas as they shared their preliminary plans for what the coalition can accomplish. Topics included drafting a mission statement, electing leadership within the group, and communication within the coalition and with the community.

Lastly they discussed upcoming events, including a fundraiser for the victims of hurricanes in Puerto Rico by Family Health Centers of San Diego on Nov. 16, and the Trans Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.

The next meeting will be on Monday Nov. 27. They plan to move the meetings to new locations come the new year to accommodate members that live in the South Bay.