Our Story

Despite the growing size and influence of the LGBTQ Latinx community, the national LGBTQ Latinx civic infrastructure is relatively weak. There are many talented LGBTQ Latinx leaders and organizations across the country, but they are under‐resourced and lack a strong system for connecting, supporting one another, and coordinating efforts. Moreover, institutional racism within the LGBTQ movement and homophobia in Latinx communities continue to marginalize LGBTQ Latinxs and prevent them from achieving their full potential as leaders for both LGBTQ rights and racial justice.

 

The Unión=Fuerza (which translates to “unity equals strength”) Latinx Institute was founded to address these issues. First established in 2012, the Latinx Institute convenes a fully bilingual and culturally competent national LGBTQ Latinx day-long convening to foster supportive relationships and build our capacity to advance LGBTQ Latinx activism. We are committed to communicating bilingually (English and Spanish) and addressing language marginalization; intergenerational interactions from grassroots to grasstops; and prioritizing underrepresented populations such as transgender people, undocumented individuals, women, youth, families, and allies, for example. 

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The day-long Unión=Fuerza Latinx Institute aims to develop LGBTQ Latinxs through (1) capacity‐building, (2) leadership development, and (3) creating alliance‐building opportunities for LGBT Latinxs. At its core, the Latino Institute is a strategic collaboration between LGBT Latinx organizations, Latinx organizations with LGBT projects, and LGBTQ organizations with Latinx projects. 

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    Although the Institute convenes for one day, once a year, the networks of dedicated activists created at the Unión=Fuerza Latinx Institute are maintained year-round. Best practices and skills learned at the Institute are imparted upon local community members and grassroots organizations, which creates meaningful change nation-wide for both LGBTQ Latinxs and Latinxs at large. The Unión=Fuerza Latinx Institute strengthens LGBT Latinx leaders, which ultimately strengthens both the LGBT and Latinx movements, allowing both to operate more effectively through intersectional strategies that advance a wider progressive agenda.

 

Join us for the next Unión=Fuerza Latino Institute at Creating Change!