Latino Equality Alliance

What Latino Equality Alliance does

Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that advocates for equity, safety, and wellness of the Latinx LGBTQ+ community, with principal operations in the Boyle Heights and South East Los Angeles neighborhoods. The organization is fiscally sponsored by Community Partners (a registered 501(c)(3), Tax ID 95-4302067), enabling tax-deductible contributions, and is staffed by 11-50 employees. Its core offerings are two physical community centers — Mi Centro (Boyle Heights, 553 S. Clarence Street) and Mi SELA (Bell, 4265 Florence Avenue), the latter identified as the first LGBTQ+ Youth Resource Center in the City of Bell — plus a portfolio of community programs including youth leadership development, LGBTQ+ scholarship awards, family acceptance programs (PFLAG en Español), mental health services including a Mental Health Ambassadors Program launched May 2021, HIV prevention, legal referrals, Know Your Rights resources (including Red Cards for immigrant community members), and advocacy for anti-discrimination and immigrant rights. The product portfolio is service-oriented rather than technology-based.

LEA generates revenue through individual recurring donations (monthly membership tiers), one-time contributions, institutional grants (e.g., 2024 funding from the SELA Collaborative and The California Community Foundation), corporate sponsorships, and signature fundraising events including the annual Purple Lily Awards, Quinceañera Fundraiser, Calavera LGBTQ Festival, Queer Prom, and Loteria in SELA. Services are provided free of charge to community members. Go-to-market is community-led: the organization engages constituents through two physical centers, social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, LinkedIn), email newsletters, earned media (LA Times, LAist, ABC7, NBC LA, Boyle Heights Beat, CALÓ NEWS), and partnerships with local businesses such as L.A. Tacos. Customer segments include LGBTQ+ Latinx youth (primary), Latinx families of LGBTQ+ individuals, and LGBTQ+ adults in East Side Los Angeles — served respectively through youth/leadership programs, family acceptance workshops, and adult community services including HIV testing and legal consultation in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Resource Center.

Name

Latino Equality Alliance

Legal name

Latino Equality Alliance

Website

https://somoslea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Latino Equality Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2009, that advocates for equity and wellness of the Latinx LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles through two community centers — Mi Centro in Boyle Heights and Mi SELA in Bell — and youth, family, mental health, and scholarship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ+ Advocacy & Community Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC), Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF)

Keywords

• Community advocacy services
• Youth empowerment programs
• Nonprofit community centers
• Family acceptance programming
• Mental health support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Individual donations through monthly membership campaigns and one-time contributions. Donors receive exclusive merch, ticketed event opportunities, and website recognition. All donations are tax-deductible through fiscal sponsor Community Partners.
2. Grants and Funding Partnerships: Funding from institutional partners and grant-making organizations to support youth programs, advocacy initiatives, and community center operations.
3. Fiscal Sponsorship: LEA is a project of Community Partners, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible through Community Partners (Tax ID: 95-4302067).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Latino Equality Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates two LGBTQ+ community centers—Mi Centro in Boyle Heights and Mi SELA in Bell—and runs youth leadership programs, scholarship awards, family acceptance workshops, mental health services, advocacy initiatives, Know Your Rights resources, and signature cultural events. All services are delivered free of charge to the Latinx LGBTQ+ community and are funded through donations, grants, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Latino Equality Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates a network of community centers and programs rather than a traditional software product. The organization's core offerings include Mi Centro (Boyle Heights) and Mi SELA (Bell), two LGBTQ+ community centers providing direct services to the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. These community centers serve as the hub for various programs including youth leadership development, scholarship awards, family acceptance programs, mental health services, and cultural events. The organization also provides advocacy services, Know Your Rights resources, and hosts signature events like the Purple Lily Awards and Calavera LGBTQ Festival. The product portfolio is service-oriented rather than technology-based, focusing on direct community support and empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mi Centro: Community center in Boyle Heights providing safe space, resources, HIV testing, legal consultation, and community support for LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Mi SELA
• Purple Lily Awards
• Queer Prom
• Calavera LGBTQ Festival

Products and services

• Mi Centro LGBTQ Community Center A community center located in Boyle Heights that serves as the main office of Latino Equality Alliance, providing HIV testing, legal consultation, support groups, and community services in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Resource Center.
• Mi SELA LGBTQ+ Youth Resource Center The first LGBTQ+ Youth Resource Center located in the City of Bell (South East Los Angeles), providing a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ youth with programs and resources designed to foster community and personal growth.
• Youth Leadership Programs Leadership development initiatives including mentorship programs, leadership training, and community engagement opportunities for Latinx LGBTQ+ youth.
• LGBTQ+ Scholarship Awards Annual scholarship program awarding financial support to outstanding LGBTQ+ youth who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ rights.
• Family Acceptance Programs Programs including PFLAG en Español support groups and workshops to strengthen family bonds and promote acceptance within the Latinx community, including anti-bullying LGBTQ workshops for parents.
• Mental Health Services Mental health support including the Mental Health Ambassadors Program launched in May 2021, Spanish-language PFLAG support groups, referrals to partner organizations, and HIV prevention services.
• Purple Lily Awards Annual awards ceremony honoring key figures and organizations within the LGBTQ+ Latine communities for their advocacy and leadership.
• Know Your Rights Hub of trusted resources providing information on rights during ICE or law enforcement encounters, including Red Cards (bilingual cards asserting constitutional rights) and guidance on legal protections.
• Calavera LGBTQ Festival Annual cultural festival celebrating Latinx and LGBTQ+ identities, often held during Día de los Muertos to honor loved ones and community heritage.
• Queer Prom Annual prom event providing a safe and celebratory space for LGBTQ+ youth to experience a traditional coming-of-age celebration.
• Pride Pantry / COVID-19 Resource Bank Resource distribution program providing essential supplies and COVID-19 related assistance to LGBTQ+ community members in need during the pandemic.
• Research Reports and Resource Guides Educational resources including the UndocuQueer Health Resource Guide, UndocuQueer Scholarship Guide, and curated links to research on LGBTQ+ communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Youth empowerment through programming
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Los Angeles LGBT Resource CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mi Centro community center operations, providing services including HIV testing, legal consultation, and other support services at the Boyle Heights location.
• Mi Centro LGBTQ Community CentercoreOthersCo-located community center in Boyle Heights serving as LEA's main office location and providing services to the LGBTQ+ community.
• L.A. TacosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Huntington Park panadería that created Pride conchas with 100% of proceeds donated to LEA, supporting LGBTQ+ youth in the community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bienestar Human Services: LA-based nonprofit serving Latino/a LGBTQ+ communities with HIV prevention, mental health, youth programs, and community centers. Closely comparable mission, target population, and service mix to LEA, including bilingual Latinx LGBTQ focus.
• TransLatin@ Coalition: LA-based nonprofit advocating for transgender Latinx immigrants, providing housing, legal aid, and community resources. Direct overlap with LEA's UndocuQueer and immigrant-rights programming for the same intersectional population.
• Los Angeles LGBT Center: The largest LGBTQ+ services organization in LA, providing HIV testing, legal services, youth programs, and community resources. LEA partners directly with the LA LGBT Center at Mi Centro, making it the closest functional peer and co-service provider.
• PFLAG National: National organization supporting parents, families, and allies of LGBTQ+ people. LEA runs PFLAG en Español support groups and family acceptance programs that directly mirror PFLAG's model, adapted to Latinx communities.

Broad incumbents

• The Trevor Project: National LGBTQ+ youth crisis and suicide prevention organization. Overlaps with LEA's youth programming and mental health services but operates at national scale with digital/crisis focus rather than community-center delivery.
• Hispanic Federation: National Latino advocacy and grantmaking organization. Comparable Latinx community focus and funder relationships but operates at national scale across multiple cause areas rather than a single LGBTQ+ intersectional niche.
• Equality California: California's largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights advocacy organization. Comparable advocacy mission (anti-discrimination laws, immigrant rights) but operates at statewide policy scale rather than LEA's neighborhood-services focus.

Others

• Boyle Heights Beat: Local community news outlet that has covered LEA's work. Not a direct competitor but a strategic ecosystem partner amplifying LEA's earned media in its core Boyle Heights geography.

Regional players

• LGBT Center Orange County: Regional LGBTQ+ center serving Orange County with youth programs, mental health, and community services. Comparable operating model to LEA (physical center, youth focus, family services) but different geography in Southern California.
• San Francisco LGBT Center: Bay Area LGBTQ+ community center offering youth programs, family services, and cultural events. Operates an analogous center-based service model to LEA but in a different Northern California geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/somoslea
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LatinoEqualityVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/LatinoEqualityAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/somoslea
• Instagraminstagram.com/somoslea/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@somoslea

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Latino Equality Alliance