LGBTQ Allies: Josie Ruiz Hernandez Manubes on Allyship, Community, and Showing Up for San Diego’s LGBTQ Community
By Cesar A Reyes
Josie Ruiz Hernandez Manubes has a way of making the extraordinary feel natural. Born in Sacramento, she spent her early childhood in Tijuana, Mexico, before moving to San Diego at age fourteen. “I’ve been here ever since,” she says, her voice steady with the quiet confidence of someone who has built a life rooted in connection and service. Since 2015, she has worked at La Maestra Community Health Centers, where her journey into supporting the LGBTQ community has grown in meaningful, unexpected ways.
Her work took a turn in December 2022 when she joined the HIV/PrEP Department. It was there that she began participating in educational programs, the first of which focused on engagement in care for allied healthcare workers supporting clients across the HIV status-neutral continuum. “That’s where I started meeting groups and organizations from the LGBTQ community,” she recalls. “Nowadays, there are really good friends that I can count on.”
For Josie, these connections were not only professional but deeply personal. “I’ve always had family and friends who are part of the LGBTQ community,” she explains. “I know how vulnerable they can be, but also how loyal and incredible they are to have in my life.” Her understanding comes from witnessing both the struggles and the resilience of those she cares about.
Josie’s approach to community support is both consistent and grounded in presence. She volunteers annually with VIDA on Christmas Eve to feed people experiencing homelessness, a tradition she sees as a small but essential way to give back. Beyond direct service, she encourages supporting events throughout the year, attending programs, sharing information, and, perhaps most importantly, listening. “When attending, it’s always important to have an open mind and learn from others who are willing to talk,” she says. Her belief is that the LGBTQ community is welcoming to those who show up genuinely, ready to engage and contribute.
To Josie, being an ally is not about titles or recognition—it is about reliability and care. “For me, being an ally is being someone others can count on no matter the date or time,” she says. “It’s being there, creating safe spaces, learning about others, and understanding how they need to be supported.” Allyship, for her, is practical, relational, and deeply rooted in empathy.
Visibility, she believes, is an essential part of allyship. Showing up as an active supporter helps build trust, fosters inclusivity, and challenges systemic inequities. “Visible allyship demonstrates consistent support, advocates for social change, and provides vital support for excluded groups,” she explains. In her own life, she carries The WORDs, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” She reflects on this principle with clarity: “It is important to me because I know how much change we can make when we are united. We can create a more open society.”
Josie’s impact is felt not through grand gestures but through the steady, intentional presence she brings to the work and the people around her. She represents a model of allyship that is attentive, compassionate, and committed. Whether through volunteering, attending events, or simply standing alongside friends and colleagues, she embodies the belief that meaningful change happens when we show up for one another consistently, visibly, and with open hearts.