“While thinking of ways to unify the community, I created the Facebook group LGBT Groups of Central Valley in late 2010. Within three days, more than 250 people, half of them being youth, joined the group and started seeking coming-out advice, resources to aid themselves or people they knew, and support from LGBT+ individuals. Seeing a need for online resources, we created a solution: My Lgbt Plus.

My Lgbt Plus is available for community members to access at their own convenience fulfilling the needs that: (1) people wanted to connect with resources; (2) there should be opportunities for people to interact with each other; and (3) the community needed to support each other in areas which they live. Through the success of the Facebook group and website, My Lgbt Plus soon became a new hub of information. Spearheading this organization with the assistance of a dedicated start up team containing youth from diverse backgrounds, supportive parents and straight allies allowed for new discussions to be brought forth. In February of 2012, My Lgbt Plus began communicating with GSA Clubs, families of LGBT+ youth and the Fresno County Department of Social Services for LGBT foster care.

Since its inception, we have allowed for new members of our extended family to embrace the resources currently-established, empowered youth to be successful, and know that being a visual presence has allowed for the opportunity of positive involvement in the lives of others. We break boundaries in our conservative-area by volunteering at the Poverello House, a Christian-based program to aid homeless individuals, and sponsor widely known LGBT+ events such as the NOH8 Campaign and the Fresno Reel Pride Film Festival.

Launched November of 2011, My Lgbt Plus maintains a goal to support the Fresno and surrounding communities. Today, we bring together local, national and international LGBT+ communities in over 114 different countries. My role merely was just to listen, learn and help be a solution to a void. In return, this process helped me grow as a person.”

 

Justin Kamimoto

Founder