North County LGBTQ Resource Center: Celebrates New Home and Bold Future at Annual Gala

By Roxanne Deatherage

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center has always stood as a beacon of resilience, love, and unapologetic visibility. Nestled in Oceanside, the Center has grown far beyond its humble beginnings. What started as a small gathering place for community members seeking safety and connection is now the beating heart of LGBTQIA+ support in San Diego’s North County. Today, the Center offers housing assistance, free mental health services, youth programs, HIV testing, immigration services, reproductive rights programs, food distribution, and the Unicorn Village, while also hosting the largest free and family-friendly Pride celebration in the area, Pride by the Beach. 

Since last year’s Gala, the Center has reached a milestone that many thought impossible: moving into a permanent home at 1919 Apple Street. For years, the Center operated out of borrowed spaces, always creating magic but never having a building to call its own fully. That changed when escrow papers were signed, just days after the president was sworn into office this year. The timing felt symbolic. At a moment when national leadership signaled hostility toward queer rights, the North County LGBTQ Resource Center planted its flag in Oceanside and said: We are here. We are not going anywhere. This is our home. 

The new building is more than brick and mortar. It is a testament to survival, a promise of permanence, and a rallying point for the entire community. Walking through the doors of 1919 Apple Street, clients and visitors know they are stepping into a space built by and for them. From housing services and mental health programs to youth drop-ins and advocacy training, everything now has a stable foundation to grow from.

But securing the building is only the beginning. As the Center’s leaders remind us, it takes the ongoing support of the community to keep the lights on, the programs staffed, and the vision alive. Owning the building is a declaration but sustaining it is a collective responsibility. 

Executive Director Max Disposti captured the urgency best: “This year’s Gala falls in a time where our community is experiencing unprecedented attacks to our civil rights. This year, more than ever, your support will not only be vital for our services but it will give hope and encouragement as well. Our little Center-that-could-and-did is ready to take the lead to protect California’s hard-earned rights and to lead the way around the country. Be in community with us to create a joyful resistance while we are fighting back.” 

We invite the community to join us at our annual Gala on Saturday, September 27 at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa where we will gather for an evening of elegance, purpose, and joy. We are honored that California State Senator Catherine Blakespear will serve as our Honorary Gala Chair, standing alongside us in this moment of celebration and resistance.

This year’s theme, “Out Loud,” is not just a catchy slogan; it is a declaration of intent. In a moment when many would prefer LGBTQIA+ communities to quiet down, to retreat, or to become invisible again, the North County LGBTQ Resource Center is doing the opposite. We are saying: speak louder, live louder, love louder. “Out Loud” honors the courage of every person who has ever come out, stood up, or refused to shrink into silence. 

The Gala will reflect this spirit. Guests will enjoy a three-course dinner, live and silent auctions, entertainment, dancing, and community storytelling. But it is more than a party, it is a chance to show up, to stand in solidarity, and to celebrate boldly. Attendees are invited to dress up and be present in community, to live out loud for themselves and for those who cannot safely do so.

Let’s make this night not just a celebration, but a declaration. See you on September 27.