Executive Director Edgar Longoria delivers a speech at the 2025 Dia de Muertos Gala. Background features wall of flowers.

‘Looking Toward the Next 50 Years of Pride’ Featuring Our Executive Director, Edgar Longoria

by Seattle Pride Magazine on March 1, 2025

We are beyond honored to have our Executive Director, Edgar Longoria, featured in Seattle Pride Magazine’s latest issue! In the article “Looking Toward the Next 50 Years of Pride,” Edgar joins influential voices such as Laurie Jinkins (Speaker of the House, WA State House of Representatives), Mattie Mooney(Co-founder of Taking B(l)ack Pride), Rosette Royale (Managing Editor of South Seattle Emerald), and Jamie Pedersen WA State Senate Majority Leader, to discuss the future of Pride and our LGBTQ+ community.

As the first Latine LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization in Washington, Entre Hermanos is proud to be part of this critical conversation about the future of our movement and the fight for equity, dignity, and visibility.

Original publication in Seattle Pride Magazine Spring 2025 Edition.

Last year marked a significant milestone in Seattle’s queer history as it honored the 50th anniversary of LGBTQIA2S+ Pride celebrations in Seattle. Now entering its 51st year, Seattle Pride asked local LGBTQIA2S+ leaders their hopes for the next 50 years.

Edgar Longoria: “To fully embrace intersectionality, the LGBTQIA2S+ community must not only acknowledge but actively center the voices of those who experience multiple layers of marginalization. This includes recognizing the specific challenges faced by immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented, trans, and living with HIV. For these individuals, every aspect of their identity adds a layer of vulnerability—whether it’s being at risk for deportation, being denied gender-affirming care, or facing stigma in healthcare settings because of their HIV status. 

The community must prioritize providing accessible, culturally competent services that meet the needs of people at these intersections. Creating safe spaces where individuals don’t have to fear being “outed” or having their immigration status questioned is key to building trust and solidarity in these marginalized groups. 

Additionally, we need to ensure that leadership positions within the LGBTQIA2S+ movement reflect the full diversity of our community, including those most affected by systemic oppression. It’s not just about inclusion in conversation but about tangible, equitable access to resources, representation, and decision-making power for Latine trans and immigrant LGBTQIA2S+ people.”

Edgar Longoria: “The fear of deportation is a massive barrier that keeps many from accessing critical services, including healthcare, mental health support, and social services. Many undocumented trans individuals hesitate to seek help due to the fear that their immigration status will be reported, leaving them without the support they desperately need.

Transphobia is another significant issue. Trans individuals — particularly those who are undocumented — face systemic discrimination both within the LGBTQIA2S+ community and the larger society. This can result in high rates of violence, homelessness, and unemployment, as well as limited access to healthcare that is culturally competent or gender-affirming. All of these issues are compounded by the economic hardships faced by many immigrant families, leading to a cycle of poverty that is incredibly difficult to break.”

Edgar Longoria: “Health resources need to be radically more inclusive, accessible, and culturally competent. Latine individuals account for approximately 27% of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S., despite being only 19% of the population (Center for Disease Control). Expanding access to PrEP, bilingual services, and community-led health initiatives is essential for prevention and care. To better serve this community, healthcare providers need to be trained on the intersectionality of these identities. 

Mental health services must also be expanded, particularly services that address the compounded trauma of migration, transphobia, racism, and HIV stigma. Creating safe spaces for undocumented, trans, and HIV+ individuals within healthcare settings is crucial to overcoming the deep mistrust many of these individuals have in institutions that have historically failed them.”

Edgar Longoria: “I hope today’s LGBTQIA2S+ leaders leave a legacy of truly inclusive activism that centers the voices and experiences of the most marginalized. The legacy I hope we leave is one where these individuals are no longer forced to fight for the basics: access to healthcare, safety, legal protections, and economic opportunities. I want future generations to inherit a community that does not just acknowledge but celebrates the complexity of their identities, ensuring that every person is seen and supported in all their intersections. 

As a queer leader, I hope my legacy will be one of advocacy for the most vulnerable, helping to ensure that future leaders don’t just fight for policy change but also actively dismantle the systems of oppression that affect the most marginalized. I want to be remembered for amplifying the voices of Latine trans individuals, undocumented immigrants, and HIV+ people, and for contributing to a world where they can live without fear, fully and unapologetically, as their authentic selves.”


A huge thank you to the Seattle Pride team for this opportunity! We are excited for what’s ahead, including all the incredible projects we will share at Seattle Pride 2025!

📖 Read the full interview here: https://seattlepride.org/news/looking-toward-the-next-50-years-of-pride

Drágame Brunch

Organized by Entre Hermanos, this is more than just a drag brunch—it’s a movement, a celebration, and a powerful call to action! Now more than ever, we must create spaces where we can come together, grow, express ourselves freely, and uplift one another. This is our time to laugh, dance, connect, and build community with our LGBTQ+ family and allies!

At Entre Hermanos, we are committed to building a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Latine LGBTQ+ community. But we can’t do it alone. With increasing challenges to legal protections, mental health access, and social equity, your support is more critical than ever.

Drágame Brunch isn’t just about jaw-dropping performances and bottomless mimosas (though we’ve got plenty of that! 😉)—it’s about raising essential funds to sustain life-changing programs, amplify advocacy efforts, and ensure that our community continues to thrive with dignity, safety, and pride.

By attending or sponsoring this event, you’re making a statement. You’re standing for inclusivity, social change, and the power of joyful resistance. You’re saying YES to community, YES to visibility, and YES to a future where we can all live freely and fabulously.

💃 So grab your best brunch outfit, round up your friends, and let’s make magic happen—because together, we create change! 🎉🏳️‍🌈

Entre Hermanos Official Statement: Stop Inhumane Immigration Policies!

[Español a continuación/Spanish below]

At Entre Hermanos, the first Latinx LGBTQ+ organization in the state of Washington, we raise our voices to denounce the cruel and unacceptable immigration practices implemented by the United States Federal Government. The recent decision to send migrants to Costa Rica and Panama as ‘bridge countries’ while their deportations are processed is a flagrant violation of human rights.

A few weeks ago, the U.S. government reached an agreement with the government of Costa Rica to transfer 200 migrants to that country, intending to use it as a transit point before deporting them to their countries of origin. This process has already been carried out with the dispatch of two planes, transporting a total of 200 people, including 81 children. Likewise, migrants sent to Panama face alarming and extremely vulnerable conditions.

The countries of origin of these individuals include Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Jordan, China, Russia, India, Congo, Nepal, Yemen, Vietnam, and Georgia. All of them have cited economic, political, or armed conflict-related reasons for fleeing their countries. None of the individuals in the first deported group have criminal records. However, through these actions, they are being denied the right to seek asylum in the United States and are subjected to inhumane conditions in third countries.

Migrants are being forced to remain in these countries without security guarantees, without the right to free movement, and without access to legal representation. The facilities where they are held effectively function as prisons, criminalizing those who are merely seeking to survive.

This situation is even more critical for those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Many of these individuals flee precisely because of persecution in their countries of origin, where their lives are in danger due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the ‘bridge countries’ to which they are being sent offer no guarantees of safety, as they have a history of discrimination and systematic violence against our community. This deportation policy is not only cruel but also puts the lives of LGBTQ+ migrants at direct risk.

We are deeply alarmed by the fate of the 81 children deported to Costa Rica. There is no clear information regarding the guarantee of their fundamental rights, including education, healthcare, and protections in the event they are unaccompanied minors. Additionally, the conditions in which people sent to Panama find themselves are extremely concerning, with reports of isolation, lack of medical attention, and arbitrary detention in remote areas such as the Darién jungle.

Entre Hermanos demands:

  1. Immediate cessation of deportations to ‘bridge countries.’
  2. Absolute respect for the right to asylum and the guarantee of due process for every migrant.
  3. Protection of the human rights of all LGBTQ+ individuals and the migrant community as a whole.
  4. Transparency regarding the whereabouts and conditions of the children deported to Costa Rica and Panama.

We urgently call on the international community, human rights organizations, and civil society not to remain silent in the face of these systematic violations. We cannot stand silently in the face of policies that continue to criminalize migration and endanger the lives of the most LGBTQ+ individuals.

Entre Hermanos Comunicado Oficial: ¡Basta de Políticas Migratorias Inhumanas!

Desde Entre Hermanos, la primera organización latine LGBTQ+ del estado de Washington, alzamos nuestra voz para denunciar las prácticas migratorias crueles e inaceptables implementadas por el Gobierno Federal de los Estados Unidos. La reciente decisión de enviar personas migrantes a Costa Rica y Panamá como ‘países puente’ mientras se procesan sus deportaciones es una flagrante violación de los derechos humanos.

Hace unas semanas, el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos acordó con el Gobierno de Costa Rica el traslado de 200 personas migrantes a ese país, con el propósito de utilizarlo como punto de tránsito antes de ser deportadas a sus países de origen. Este proceso ya se ha materializado con el envío de dos aviones, transportando a un total de 200 personas, incluidos 81 niños y niñas. De igual manera, las personas migrantes enviadas a Panamá enfrentan condiciones alarmantes y de extrema vulnerabilidad.

Los países de origen de estas personas incluyen Uzbekistán, Afganistán, Irán, Armenia, Turquía, Azerbaiyán, Ghana, Jordania, China, Rusia, India, Congo, Nepal, Yemen, Vietnam y Georgia. Todas ellas han argumentado razones económicas, políticas o conflictos armados como motivos para huir de sus países. Ninguna de las personas del primer grupo deportado posee antecedentes criminales. Sin embargo, con estas acciones, se les niega el derecho a solicitar asilo en los Estados Unidos y se les somete a condiciones inhumanas en terceros países.

Las personas migrantes están siendo forzadas a permanecer en estos países sin garantías de seguridad, sin derecho a la libre circulación y sin acceso a representación legal. Los centros donde son retenidas funcionan, en la práctica, como cárceles, criminalizando a quienes solo buscan sobrevivir.

Esta situación es aún más crítica para quienes forman parte de la comunidad LGBTQ+. Muchas de estas personas huyen precisamente de la persecución en sus países de origen, donde sus vidas corren peligro debido a su orientación sexual o identidad de género. Sin embargo, los ‘países puente’ a los que están siendo enviadas tampoco garantizan su seguridad, ya que cuentan con antecedentes de discriminación y violencia sistemática contra nuestra comunidad. Esta política de deportación no solo es cruel, sino que también pone en riesgo directo la vida de personas LGBTQ+ migrantes.

Nos alarma profundamente el destino de los 81 niños deportados a Costa Rica. No existe información clara sobre la garantía de sus derechos fundamentales, incluyendo educación, acceso a la salud y protección en caso de ser menores no acompañados. Además, las condiciones en las que se encuentran las personas enviadas a Panamá son extremadamente preocupantes, con reportes de aislamiento, falta de atención médica y detención arbitraria en áreas remotas como la selva del Darién.

Desde Entre Hermanos exigimos:

  1. El cese inmediato de las deportaciones a ‘países puente’.
  2. El respeto absoluto al derecho de asilo y la garantía de un debido proceso para cada persona migrante.
  3. La protección de los derechos humanos de todas las personas LGBTQ+ y de la comunidad migrante en general.
  4. Transparencia sobre el paradero y las condiciones de los niños migrantes enviados a Costa Rica y Panamá.

Hacemos un llamado urgente a la comunidad internacional, a organizaciones de derechos humanos y a la sociedad civil para que no permanezcan en silencio ante estas violaciones sistemáticas. No podemos permitir que se sigan implementando políticas que criminalizan la migración y ponen en riesgo la vida de las personas más vulnerables.

BILINGUAL MEDICAL CASE MANAGER – SEATTLE OFFICE

ENTRE HERMANOS MISSION: to promote the health and well-being of the Latino Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and questioning community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy and community building.

  • Title: HIV Prevention and Community Engagement Coordinator (English/Spanish)
  • Program: HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education for Latino MSM
  • Position type: Full time
  • Salary: $51.000,00 / $55,000.00 annually, depending on experience
  • Location: Seattle, Washington

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Bilingual Medical Case Manager assists primarily medium to high acuity individuals living with HIV in accessing and engaging in psychosocial, medical, homecare, and supportive services. This position conducts comprehensive assessments, develops, and updates service plans, and facilitates the acquisition of all appropriate services. This is a full-time, non-exempt, regular position.

Essential Duties:

  • Client Services: Develops, implements, and revises service plans on an ongoing basis. Links clients to, and serves as liaison to, public and private services. Assists clients with acquiring and maintaining continued coverage of public assistance, insurance, and other entitlements.
  • Program Responsibilities: Maintains and updates client records and notes, including client tracking; carries out required information reporting; prepares progress notes and other client documentation according to departmental standards. Collaborates with other community organizations, as well as mental health and chemical dependency programs. Develops knowledge of appropriate referrals for home care services, mental health services, chemical dependency, financial aid, housing, food, emotional support, etc.
  • Organizational Responsibilities: Builds awareness and understanding of HIV. Assists periodically with walk-in client needs, front desk coverage, and group facilitation. Works with staff and clients of diverse socio-economic, ethnic, lifestyle, and sexual orientation backgrounds while building relationships among internal departments. Maintains strict professional boundaries and confidentiality.

Core Competencies:

  • Familiarity with individuals who experience health disparities, including complex chronic health conditions, behavioral health barriers, chemical dependency, poverty, and stigma-induced isolation.
  • Comfort with working with individuals along the entire continuum of diversity, including but not limited to varying abilities, race, class, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
  • Proven comfort with Spanish language in order to optimally serve Spanish-speaking community members.
  • Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.
  • Excellent detail orientation with a high level of accuracy.
  • Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability.
  • Proven clear understanding of professional boundaries.
  • Demonstrated skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of applications, including Excel and Word.
  • Experience working in electronic case noting within a data base and electronic document collection and storage.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both verbal and written form.
  • Well-developed professional phone skills.
  • Proven ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
  • Ability to respond quickly to change.
  • Well-developed ability to build strong working relationships with internal and external providers and partner agencies.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively under stressful conditions, exercising crisis management and de-escalation skills.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in related field, Master’s degree in a social service field desirable.
  • At least ONE year of professional experience, including employment or practicum experience related to advocacy services, case management, or similar work with the public in a direct service setting.
  • Fluency in Spanish required.

Compensation and Benefits:

  • Salary Range: $51,000.00 / $55,000.00 annually, depending on experience.
  • Note – Entre Hermanos maintains a competitive compensation package; within budget constraints, you will be eligible for performance-based raises on an annual basis.
  • Medical and Dental Insurance
  • 403b Retirement Account

Details:

  • Department: Care
  • Tax Class / FSLA Status: 40 hours per week, full benefits, non-exempt
  • Supervisor: Care and Prevention Program Manager
  • Supervisory Responsibilities: None
  • Regular Schedule: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Entre Hermano’s Seattle office: 1621 S Jackson St #202, Seattle, WA 98144

TO APPLY

Candidates please send an email with your resume and cover letter to: Jose.Vazquez@EntreHermanos.org

Physical Demands / Working Conditions
The employee must be able to operate a computer and other office equipment, speak and listen on the telephone, and accurately see and interpret columns of numbers.
This position description generally describes the principle functions of the position and the level of knowledge and skills typically required. It does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee, and it is subject to change as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.


Entre Hermanos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications are considered without regard to race, age, sex, color, creed, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, mental or physical handicap, sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and gender expression of identity) or any other classification protected by law.

HIV / STI SPECIALIST I – YAKIMA OFFICE

ENTRE HERMANOS MISSION: to promote the health and well-being of the Latino Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and questioning community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy and community building.

  • Title: HIV Prevention and Community Engagement Coordinator (English/Spanish)
  • Program: HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education for Latino MSM
  • Position type: Full time
  • Salary: $50.024,00 annually
  • Location: Yakima, Washington

JOB DESCRIPTION

This position supports our community-level intervention program targeting Latino Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), in an effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The program employs a variety of strategies to influence reduction of risky, unsafe sexual behaviors among Latino MSM.
The program includes community outreach, educational workshops and forums, and referrals to influence counseling and testing. Also, maintaining records of participants in our workshops. May also design and produce graphic materials to support outreach work on social media.

The main purpose of community outreach and peer education is to:

  • Encourage those at high risk to get tested and learn their HIV status
  • Perform HIV/ STI, HCV tests
  • Promote PrEP
  • Promote proper condom use
  • Promote prevention strategies as determined by Entre Hermanos and public Health
  • Promote participation in Entre Hermanos forums, support groups and workshops

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Fluent in Spanish and English (Written and verbal)
  • Experience working with the Latino community
  • Enjoy public speaking and have the ability to meet new people
  • Ability to be self-motivated and work independently
  • Weekday office time, along with evenings and weekend work
  • Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
  • Ability to meet deadlines, schedule and keep appointments
  • High school education or equivalent
  • Ability to use social media platforms (i.e., Facebook and Twitter) to disseminate HIV prevention messages and promote services

Desirable:

  • Experience working the Latino LGBTQ community.
  • Experience in community outreach and/or peer education.
  • Familiar with the best places to contact the target population.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Excel.
  • Experience using Constant Contact and graphic design software.
  • Phlebotomy license (if not, we will provide the training and sponsor the license)

RESPONIBILITIES

  • Assist with group and community presentations as needed
  • Recruit participants for activities, presentations & workshops
  • Conduct education and prevention workshops
  • Maintain accurate records and data for program evaluation and reports
  • Attend staff meetings as requested
  • Assist in developing outreach tools and educational materials
  • Promote END HIV/AIDS Washington an national campaign on social media platforms to disseminate HIV prevention messages and promote services
  • Complete project reports as directed by the Executive Director

Nondiscrimination Policy

We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities, especially the LGBTQ and Latino communities, to apply. Entre Hermanos does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior contact with the criminal justice system, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Candidates for employment at Entre Hermanos should be aware that this is a unique work environment in which topics of sexuality and sexual orientation are an integral part of our everyday prevention and care work and are often discussed openly. Individuals who are uncomfortable with such topics, discussions and occasional related graphic representations may choose not to work at Entre Hermanos.


TO APPLY

Candidates please send an email with your resume and cover letter to: Martha@entrehermanos.org

This position description generally describes the principal functions of the position and the level of knowledge and skills typically required. It does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee, and it is subject to change as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.
Entre Hermanos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications are considered without regard to race, age, sex, color, creed, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, mental or physical handicap, sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and gender expression of identity) or any other classification protected by law.

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Directs and manages the day-to-day administrative operations of the agency and its facilities.
  • Conducts analysis and recommends to the Executive Director areas and issues needing policy development, process improvements and corrective actions.
  • Ensures that all programs under the direction of the position are efficiently and effectively administered using their resources.
  • Works with the agency’s Finance Director to develop the annual programmatic budgets.
  • Selects, trains, supervises and evaluates staff which report to the position. Coordinates staff communication such as monthly department meetings, bi-annual all-staff meetings, and other meetings as requested.
  • Assists with Board reports, summaries, and resolutions as necessary for Board discussion and consideration.
  • Reviews, monitors, and approves expenditures together with program directors, managers, and staff to ensure grant/contract compliance pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, approved budgets, and relevant policies.
  • Represents the agency at various public functions, meetings and conferences as requested by the Executive Director.
  • Fills in for the Executive Director in his/her absence.
  • Carries out other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Essential skills and experience include the following

  • Master’s degree in public, or Business Administration, Management, Social Services, or closely related field, and six years of demonstrated work experience in a senior management, or Executive Director level position, or
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Social Services, or closely related field and eight years of demonstrated work experience in program administration in senior management, or leadership positions.
  • Demonstrated experience in overseeing the administration of a broad spectrum of workforce, health, and/or human services to Latine or LGBTQ+ communities.
  • Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills and the ability to analyze complex issues and clearly communicate timely and reasonable courses of action.
  • Exceptional communication skills with proven ability, writing, and speaking clearly and effectively.
  • Superior diplomacy skills and demonstrated experience working in a diverse environment, particularly with Latine communities.
  • In-depth experience administering and overseeing local, state, and federal government grants, contracts, and memoranda of understanding.
  • Demonstrated experience in private and public fund development, marketing, and public relations to successfully engage stakeholders that include grantors and other funding entities, policy makers, local communities and others.
  • Basic understanding of fund accounting, federal grant management, and single audits.
  • Prior experience in a non-profit or corporation that is led by a Board of Directors.
  • Centers principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development and organizational practices and processes
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the office and using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic circumstance
  • Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • Starting Range: $90,000.00 – 110,000.00 (Commensurate with experience)
  • Medical Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • 403(b) retirement account with up to a 4% employer match.
  • Generous paid leave

DETAILS

  • Department – Administration
  • FSLA Status – exempt
  • Supervisor – Executive Director
  • Supervisory Responsibilities – Program Directors and Managers
  • Office Location – 1621 S Jackson St #202, Seattle, WA 98144
  • All offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background check

TO APPLY

Please send a resume and cover letter highlighting how your qualifications align with this position to: hr@entrehermanos.org Application review continuous until position is filled, the position will remain open until the ideal candidate is found.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

Applicants for this role will only be considered if they are able to legally work in the United States, where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
Entre Hermanos requires all employees be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Employees are considered vaccinated two weeks after completing primary vaccination with a COVID-19 vaccine, with, if applicable, at least the minimum recommended interval between doses. All new employees must inform Entre Hermanos of their vaccination status within three days of hire date and must be fully vaccinated no later than 45 days after hire date.

BACKGROUND CHECK PROCEDURE

Any offer of employment is contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS

The employee must be able to operate a computer and other office equipment, speak and listen on the telephone, and accurately see and interpret columns of numbers.

This position description generally describes the principal functions of the position and the level of knowledge and skills typically required. It does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee, and it is subject to change as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.
Entre Hermanos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications are considered without regard to race, age, sex, color, creed, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, mental or physical handicap, sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and gender expression of identity) or any other classification protected by law.

Seattle Symphony Highlights Entre Hermanos!

■ COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Entre Hermanos

Entre Hermanos staff at the organization’s annual Pride Picnic

Entre Hermanos is a community-based organization that offers Latine cultural and health services to
the LGBTQ+ community in a space that is affirming, safe and supportive. The organization’s founders
sought to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis locally with programs deeply connected to Latine language
and cultural roots, surrounded by the warmth, love and care of their LGBTQ+ siblings. For over 33
years, Entre Hermanos has promoted the health and well-being of the Latine LGBTQ+ community
through disease prevention, HIV awareness and sexual health education, advocacy, community
building and cultural celebration.


Entre Hermanos also serves clients in areas surrounding King County, and in Central and Eastern
Washington who need critical health, housing and immigration services — services made available
by Entre Hermanos without cost, in Spanish and other languages, to sexually diverse Latines, and
without regard for immigration status. The organization reaches more than 7,000 annually, including
1,000 people who receive direct medical and non-medical higher-touch intervention through STD
testing, PrEP navigation and HIV medical case management; light-touch outreach and education via
radio and social media; and condom distribution to 6,000 individuals annually.


The organization’s inclusive social media and community education videos are produced in Spanish
and five Indigenous languages of Mexico and Central America. Entre Hermanos seeks ways to serve
those who are excluded from access to LGBTQ+ health services, knowing what it is like to navigate
complicated health systems with barriers such as language, sexuality, race, gender, and socioeconomic and educational attainment. Many of its clients are immigrants with dreams of a stable and
safe future, and its wrap-around services in housing, immigration law, and outreach and navigation
help its clients attain safety during the most critical period in their lives. Today, Entre Hermanos
continues to strive for progress and expand upon its support services.


Entre Hermanos is one of more than 70 partners in the Seattle Symphony’s Community Connections program,
which provides complimentary tickets to nonprofit organizations across the Puget Sound region.

ABOUT THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY

Photo by: The Seattle Times

The Seattle Symphony is recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR) and is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming,
community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of
over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 27 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018
Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 750,000
people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts, and through the Seattle Symphony+ streaming app, the orchestra’s concerts reach
audiences at home and around the world

Learn more at https://www.seattlesymphony.org/

Community Corner—Entre Hermanos

by Seattle Human Services on September 3, 2024

Community Corner highlights the work of Seattle Human Services’ community partners in their own words. Our goal is to gather stories and photos that illustrate their amazing work on behalf of the people of Seattle. This post highlights Entre Hermanos.

Entre Hermanos team during our Annual Pride Picnic in the Park.

What is the role your organization fulfills in your community?

Entre Hermanos is a “by and for” community-based organization that offers Latine cultural and health services to the LGBTQ+ community in a space that is affirming, safe, and supportive. We improve health and well-being for the Latine LGBTQ+ community through wraparound support services, legal immigration consultation and representation, support for prevention of HIV and care for those living with HIV, media outreach on Latine and LGBTQ+ issues, education and advocacy for human rights and civic engagement, and community building and cultural celebration.

Every year we reach more than 7,000 people in the greater Seattle community, including 1,000 who receive direct medical and non-medical higher-touch interventions through STD testing, PrEP navigation, and HIV medical case management; and 6,000 through light-touch outreach and education via radio and social media, LGBTQ+, Cultural, and Health fairs, and condom distribution. Our services are free of charge, without regard to immigration status or insurance coverage, and all activities are conducted in Spanish and Central American indigenous languages.

How does your partnership with Seattle Human Services (HSD) assist you in that role?

Entre Hermanos is grateful for a supportive community, talented and committed staff, and the support of health champions like HSD. As an organization, we are dedicated to ensuring that our clients’ holistic and intersecting needs can be met, and HSD has helped us do this through funding our projects like Arts in the Park, Health and Education campaigns, and more. We’ve also benefitted from the partnership through increasing our connections to the City’s leadership, especially through our involvement in LGBTQ+ initiatives.

What is your organization’s origin story?

We were created by a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Latinos/as who were responding to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Washington state in 1990. Our founders sought to address the need for social, educational, and health support services with programs deeply connected to our language and cultural roots, surrounded by the warmth, love, and care of our LGBTQ+ siblings being affected by HIV/AIDS. While we started as an organization that serves people with HIV, we now attend to the many ways our clients are vulnerable while remaining true to our mission to promote the health and well-being of the Latine LGBTQ+ community. For more than three decades, we have honored that legacy by continuing to raise HIV awareness, provide sexual health education, and basic needs support to our people while providing culturally and linguistically sensitive services for clients who face complex marginalization due to their immigration and documentation status, sexuality, poverty, or gender.

How has your organization grown or developed in recent years?

In our 33rd year of service, Entre Hermanos continues marching into the future, on the road to justice, striving for progress, and expanding our support services to sexually diverse Latinx individuals in Washington. In recent years, we’ve added new programs like housing assistance for clients on PrEP, legal representation focused on transgender asylum seekers, and trans peer navigation. Our programs have had a lot of support within the city of Seattle, and we’re excited to announce that in the next year we are replicating this program model and opening an office in rural Yakima.  Many Hispanic/Latinx people live in rural Yakima, but members of the LGBTQ+ community in that area have little access to culturally and linguistically sensitive services that are LGBTQ+ affirming. Since 2019, we have grown from eight staff members to 29 staff members, and there is still a great need to increase our services.

Entre Hermanos employees: Elio, Yesenia, Alejandra, and Alec during LatinX Pride 2024 outreach.

Why is it important for HSD and City of Seattle taxpayers to invest in community-led work?

Being led by members of the immigrant Latine LGBTQ+ community means we have the in-house Spanish-language, cultural competency, and expertise in LGBTQ issues that equips us to meet the overlapping needs of clients who are new immigrants, Spanish-speakers, and individuals who are undocumented, uninsured, and transgender. We have seen many situations where clients come to us and finally feel safe enough to be themselves fully, share their needs and accept help. Having HSD and City of Seattle taxpayers invest in community-led work like this is critical to decreasing communication barriers, providing a sense of safety for marginalized communities, and truly meeting people’s holistic and intersecting needs. Organizations like ours are community assets that create a more vibrant and healthy community for all.

How do your programs and services help to reduce the disparities experienced by people of color living in our region?

There are troubling racial and ethnic disparities in access to healthcare. In our region, Latine have an uninsurance rate three and a half times the average and they are more than twice as likely to not see a doctor because of cost. Language and cultural barriers also affect access to HIV prevention and care with new HIV diagnoses in the King County Latine population disproportionately affecting people born outside of the US. Health inequities are also significant among the LGBTQ+ community. Men who have sex with men accounted for 68 percent of new HIV cases in King County in 2020 and the risk of acquiring HIV is 25 times higher among men who have sex with men than the general population.

Similar disparities exist in legal systems with LGBTQ+ migrants particularly vulnerable to discrimination and violence. We know from our own experience what it is like to navigate foreign health, legal, or social systems with barriers such as language, sexuality, race, gender, and socio-economic and educational attainment. Many of our clients are immigrants with dreams and visions of a stable and safe future. Our wraparound services in housing, immigration law, outreach and navigation services, and support groups help them attain safety during the most critical period in their lives, reducing disparities and contributing to a region where everyone has an opportunity to live in the fullness of community.  

Tell us an example of how a City-funded program or service impacted the life of one of your community members?

One of the things we enjoy most is the opportunity to gather our community in open spaces. In past years, Arts in the Park funding has allowed us to host cultural, art, community, and healing gatherings focused on our connection to each other. From hosting a traditional ‘carne asada’ with music and sunshine to hosting Entre Hermanos’ 9th Annual Pride Picnic or a movie screening in the park; we are grateful for the opportunities to be in community unburdened and in celebration during these events.

And while we gather community, we take the opportunity to share our stories of resilience and organizational opportunities. Arts in the Park-funded Entre Hermanos events have served as an introduction to Entre Hermanos for many newcomers to the area. One such story is from a person named Amerik. Amerik attended one of our events and soon after began volunteering with Entre Hermanos. Their passion for culture, trans lives, and community, saw them go from a client/volunteer to a staff member in 2022.

As Amerik continues to grow as a social services professional, helping others navigate systems, they carry forward the legacy of Entre Hermanos, and continue building safety and stability in their own life. It is a beautiful journey to witness and that is the impact we want to achieve.

Entre Hermanos employees: Amerike, Macarena, Rafael and Emilio during a community outreach event.

What motivates your staff or keeps you going?

We are proud of our own collective intersectionality experience, which makes us look for ways to serve those who are excluded in other contexts, and love working within our culture to serve those who have been pushed aside due to language, sexuality, race, or gender. We know how important a sense of safety is to our clients because we’ve faced the same challenges, and every day we strive to cultivate a transformative and gracious space where people can live their most authentic and empowering identities. We are proud of each of our wins and proud to help provide those in our communities with support to enable them to better navigate complex healthcare, housing, and immigration systems on their own terms.

Entre Hermanos 33 Years Into the Future

An article from WA Department of Health Newsletter

DOH 150-158 February 2024
HCS Newsletter

We want the community to learn about the wonderful work Entre Hermanos does for the LGBTQ+ Latino Community in Washington State. So we asked Entre Hermanos Executive Director, Edgar Longoria, to help us achieve this by answering a series of questions to clearly define the importance of this organizations role in providing community services.
Who is Entre Hermanos and for how long has it served the community?
We are an organization with roots in the community. Everything we do is community-based and we do it in ways that are culturally affirming, safe, and supportive. We were created to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Washington State in the early 1990’s. Our founders wanted to support members of the LGBTQ+ Latino community regardless of their immigration status.

For over 33 years we have honored that legacy by promoting health and well-being for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community. The work we do is rooted in love, care, and support.


Who are your clients?
We serve sexually diverse Latinx people, including transgender immigrants. Most of our clients reside or work in King County and surrounding areas, but we also see clients from Central or Eastern Washington. Clients that come from afar are drawn by a need for our integrated services in health, housing, and immigration.

What services does Entre Hermanos provide?
We provide testing services for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We also provide HIV medical case management and help remove barriers to transportation and other essential needs. We offer preventive services such as PrEP navigation and condom distribution. We do light-touch outreach and education
via radio and social media. We have
wrap-around services in housing and immigration law. Every year we reach over 7,000 people in our community. Our services are free of charge in Spanish and indigenous languages from Central America. Our staff speak the same language as our clients. This helps decrease communication barriers and provides a sense of safety to clients.
Our cultural experience helps us understand clients’ holistic and intersecting needs.

Joel Aguirre interviews a community member on an episode of an Entre Hermanos podcast
Joel Aguirre interviews a community member on an episode of an Entre Hermanos podcast

What makes you proud of the work
Entre Hermanos does?

I am proud of our collective intersectionality experience. It makes us look for ways to serve those who are excluded in other contexts. We know from our own experience what it is like to be pushed aside due to our languages, sexualities, races, and genders.
Our collective intersectionality experience helps us understand client’s holistic and intersecting needs.
And we can meet these needs through case management related to medical care, housing assistance, support groups, and more.
I am also proud of the way we cultivate a transformative and gracious space where people can live their most authentic and empowering selves.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Yes. Very soon Entre Hermanos will expand our reach to the community. We are excited to announce that are opening an office in rural Yakima. This was possible thanks to a Congressional Direct Spending project from Senator Patty Murray. We hope to be ready to roll this out by next year. This office will help us expand our holistic programs on HIV care and prevention, legal representation, prevention education outreach via radio, and more. Rural areas in Eastern Washington are home to many Hispanic/Latinx individuals.Members of the LGBTQ+ community in those areas have little access to culturally and linguistically sensitive services that are LGBTQ+ affirming.Our presence hopes to change that. We want to continue marching into the future, on the road to justice, striving for progress, and expanding our services to sexually diverse Latinx individuals in Washington.

Pictured above, (from left to right):
Cameron, Mario Gil Samaniego, Eloy Armendariz, Audencio, Rafael Sodi, Emmanuel Arjona, Jazmin, Amerique Marquez

We are blessed with a supportive community, talented and committed staff, and the support of health champions, like you. Thank you for taking the time to learn about Entre Hermanos. We look forward to future opportunities to advance the health and wellbeing of all LGBTQ+ people in Washington State.
Thank you for your support!


Contributor: Edgar Longoria
Executive Director, Entre Hermanos

Entre Hermanos Statement: June 4 Executive Order Restricting Access to Asylum

NEW RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle, Washington

June 5th, 2024

Contact: Robert Foss

Title: Director of Legal Services

Email: robert@entrehermanos.org

The executive order of June 4 restricting entry and suspending access to asylum has serious ramifications for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community.  It is disappointing that at the very beginning of our community’s celebration of pride, we are faced with new barriers to justice.


So many members of our community have suffered persecution, violence, and assassination simply because of who they are and who they love.  These new restrictions on asylum will directly increase the number of deaths for LGBTQ refugees, both in their home countries and in the border regions.  Transwomen in particular are subjected to astonishingly vicious levels of hate and violence, demonstrated by the ongoing death toll in many of our neighboring countries.  The executive order does not reflect the most basic of human rights—the right to live and love.  The members of our community deserve safety, refuge, and respect as they seek to simply be who they are. 
We urge the Biden Administration to implement policy which is in line with the human rights of our Latinx siblings and with the humanitarian values which should inform our immigration policies.  We call for an asylum system consistent with both justice and our international obligations which recognizes the plight of all refugees, especially in the LGBTQ+ community.  We must process many more cases of refugee status for our community through our embassies and consular offices worldwide.  We must simplify and uphold due process for all asylum seekers both at the border and in our immigration courts.  In the end, we must approve many more cases.


Entre Hermanos has firsthand knowledge of the suffering of asylum seekers.  We also know the richness, beauty, and joy which they bring to us.  We stand with the newly arrived in this month of pride, knowing that our own struggle for justice is far from complete.  

Robert Foss 
Entre Hermanos Director of Legal Services