Marching at the front of the Pride parade ‘a big step’ for LGBTQ+ immigrants
Each year San Diego Pride chooses a district to serve as grand marshals Near the front of the parade they are cheered on for their year-round advocacy for the public like with librarians and educators last year who stood up for LGBTQ youth amid book bans forced outing policies and other attacks This year the parade will be led by LGBTQ transients and defenders For me and our society I think this is a big step disclosed Jamie Arangure founder of Proyecto Trans Latinas I think it s really more central double pivotal with this administration when we are under attack specifically immigrant public and trans public She commented for decades the immigrant trans area struggled to connect to services and were not thought about by other LGBTQ organizations We were struggling all the girls Arangure declared She founded PTL with seven other women to help a marginalized group pushed to the edges of the society due to being undocumented not knowing English and doing survival sex work They revealed guidance for them and advocated with healthcare providers to improve their cure PTL brings workshops to all parts of San Diego not just Hillcrest to teach skills like first aid after an attack beauty tutorials and more We empower our society she disclosed Arangure reported plenty of trans expatriates are afraid right now as national rhetoric has emboldened the worst parts of society The administration gives them the society the excuse to do violent acts and to discriminate she noted Leading the parade is meaningful for a neighborhood that requirements more promotion It is really pivotal now they are looking at us Arangure explained In addition to PTL other nonprofits Dividing line Angels Haitian Bridge Alliance and Transgenero will be in the group grand marshal contingent PTL is a small organization with a low budget Arangure dreams of opening a shelter for older trans women immigrants so they can retire from sex work and have a better life We have a lot of work to do she explained Despite a lack of support and targeting of the group Arangure holds strong Discrimination cannot stop us
