My name is Psyche Calderon Vargas (she/her), and I am honored to serve as the new Director of Latin@x Services at The Center! June is National Pride Month, but few know that it is also National Immigrant Heritage Month—a time to recognize the rich contributions of immigrants and to highlight the support available to our immigrant community in San Diego, especially those who are LGBTQ-identified.

This is why I’m so proud to share a milestone in The Center’s history that demonstrates our commitment to support our diverse LGBTQ+ community, including immigrants and descendants of immigrants in our binational region. On June 5, The Center officially entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, establishing a shared commitment to providing culturally competent, LGBTQ-affirming care and services to Mexican nationals through both The Center and the Consulate.

Championed by Mexican Ambassador Alicia Kerber-Palma (she/her), our formal partnership ensures that LGBTQ+ Mexican individuals can access critical resources like legal assistance, mental health support, HIV prevention, and referrals to essential services.

The MOU outlines our shared commitment to:

• Coordinate supportive services for LGBTQ+ Mexican nationals.
• Train consular staff in LGBTQ+ cultural competency.
• Collaborate on research and cross-border outreach.
• Share information about “Mobile Consulates” and other events, activities, and meetings related to issues affecting Mexican migrants, including youth.

This partnership is an act of binational care and resistance during a time when LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights are increasingly under attack by the federal government.

Recent ICE raids in San Diego and reports of people being arrested while attending their own immigration court hearings have intensified fear and instability. In response, The Center remains committed to providing resources and support to our entire binational community, ensuring that everyone has safety, dignity, and due process. We encourage community members in need to take advantage of San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) and to visit our Know Your Rights page resources on our website.

While we are proud to support the Mexican LGBTQ+ community through this MOU, we also recognize that San Diego’s immigrant population is incredibly diverse. Immigrants from Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, and many other countries contribute to the rich cultural fabric of our region. As we honor National Immigrant Heritage Month, we uplift all immigrant communities who call this border region home. 

This landmark partnership will ensure The Center can support one of the largest LGBTQ+ immigrant populations in our region. Additionally, it reflects our broader vision to expand and strengthen Latin@x Services at The Center, which serves many Mexican and other Latin@x people in our community. Latin@x Services was the first of its kind in the nation created by and for Latin@x LGBTQ+ people, and we are now building on that legacy for greater impact.

In the year ahead, our goals include:

• Expanding outreach and access for LGBTQ+ Latin@x individuals across the San Diego-Tijuana region.
• Hosting quarterly LGBTQ+ resource fairs in partnership with the Consulate.
• Building stronger ties with local organizations that provide immigrant services.
• Advocating for LGBTQ+ migrants living with HIV through medical navigation and culturally affirming care.
• Offering more spaces for healing, celebration, and empowerment.

As we face the difficulties of this political moment by forging groundbreaking partnerships and expanding our services, The Center proudly commits to our goal to serve our entire LGBTQ+ community. Through combining the strengths of The Center and the Consulate, we are ensuring that the Mexican nationals who call this region home and who call the LGBTQ+ community their family know that they belong, deserve protection, and are seen. And in a moment where both immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, this collaboration is an act of both resistance and pride.

I am honored to serve our community in this role, to celebrate this partnership, and to work alongside all of you to bring our vision to life. Together, we will uplift one another, break barriers, and build a region rooted in dignity, care, and justice.

En solidaridad,

Psyche Calderon Vargas (she/her)
Director of Latin@x Services