This Is Why We Celebrate

By Roxanne Deatherage

We exist, resist, and fundraise for the programs that keep our Center alive

In the weeks leading up to summer, a disappointing decision by a local elected official cast a shadow over what should have been a moment of unity. After previously voting yes to raise the Pride flag over City Hall, an important gesture of visibility and inclusion, one Oceanside City Council member reversed their vote, choosing instead to align with anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and political pressure.

It was a painful blow, but not a surprising one. In true North County spirit, our response wasn’t retreat, it was resilience. Instead of waiting for validation from institutions that waver, we turned to the strength of our owncommunity. We held our own flag-raising ceremony. With cheers and tearful applause, our flag rose high not on amunicipal pole, but in the heart of a celebration that refuses to be erased.

Moments like that are why our work and our funding matter. When city leadership sends the message that LGBTQIA+ people do not belong, the Center becomes even more vital. Our upcoming gala is more than a fundraiser. It is a necessary and joyful refusal to be erased. It is how we fight back with celebration, with visibility, and with the resourcesto keep our community safe and thriving.

On September 27, we invite our community to gather at The Westin Carlsbad for an unforgettable evening of resilience, joy, and radical love. The 2025 Gala is themed OUT & LOUD, because it’s about time. We are thrilled toannounce that the one and only Mariam T will be our host for the evening, bringing glamour, laughter, and unapologetic fabulousness to a night that is all about celebrating queer joy.

This is a night to exist, resist, and fundraise for the programs that keep our Center alive and our people cared for. From mental health services to housing assistance, trans wellness, youth support, and community outreach, every dollar raised at the gala fuels life-saving and

life-affirming work across North County.

Tickets are on sale now at:

https://nclgbtqresourcecentergala.betterworld.org/events/2025-out-loud-gala-north-county

We are currently seeking sponsors to help make this event a success. If you or your business wants to stand proudly with the LGBTQIA+ community, support vital services, and be part of a night to remember, please reach out to CarlosTabora at development@northcountycenter.org.

Right after this year’s Pride season, the Center launched something bold and deeply necessary: the Empowerment Fund for LGBTQIA+ Lives. At a time when anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, legislation, and violence continue to threaten ourcommunity across the country, this fund is a call to action,

a bold counter-narrative grounded in care, protection, and action. The Empowerment Fund is a chance for allies, advocates, and community members to directly fuel the life-saving, affirming work of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center. With a goal of raising $100,000 between June 16 and August 16, the campaign will power programs that uplift our most vulnerable and build a stronger, safer future for us all.

It will support mental health and crisis care, housing resources, youth services, community education, food access,and the growth of our permanent home on Apple Street. And here’s the best part: an anonymous donor has agreed to match all donations dollar-for-dollar up to

$100,000. That means your gift doesn’t just help once—it helps twice.

Want to give? Head to: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/QAtjzkANsISgotXG1grCjQ to donate today.

The North County LGBTQ Resource Center is more than a building. It is a daily lifeline, a hub of connection, and a place where people are seen and supported as their full, authentic selves.

Every week, we provide mental health therapy, support groups, case management, HIV and STI prevention, food distribution, youth leadership, and advocacy across all systems. We serve LGBTQIA+ youth, seniors, immigrants, trans and nonbinary community members, and families facing housing insecurity. Our Center’s doors stay open because people believe in the mission. They give, volunteer, advocate, and show up. We are a community-built response to systems that have long excluded us, and our future keeps growing.

Moments like a reversed city vote remind us why we gather. Why we celebrate, why we fundraise. Because no one else will fight for us like we will. With the Empowerment Fund in motion and the 2025 Gala just around the corner, we are showing up for our people in every way we can. We remain bold in our organizing, resilient in our advocacy,authentic in our care, a voice for the silenced, and committed to equality for every single person in North County and beyond. Whether you raise your flag, buy a ticket, donate to the Fund, or bring your whole, beautiful self to the gala, you are part of this movement. And it’s far from over.