Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month
Let’s celebrate two powerful legacies that define who we are, Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month. Two movements born from struggle, sustained by courage, and carried forward by people who refused to be invisible.
For more than forty years, the Dolphin Democrats have been Broward County’s home for progressive values, LGBTQ+ visibility, and Democratic leadership.
Our mission remains clear: to Educate, Advocate, Support, and Elect.
As we honor these months of heritage and history, we also recommit ourselves to that mission.
Honoring Our Hispanic & Latino Trailblazers
We begin by remembering the trailblazers of Hispanic and Latino heritage who paved the way, not just for representation, but for revolution.
Sylvia Rivera, a proud Puerto Rican-Venezuelan trans woman, stood alongside Marsha P. Johnson during the Stonewall Riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ rights movement. Sylvia didn’t ask for permission to exist, she demanded recognition for trans people, for people of color, for the poor, for everyone left out of the promise of equality.
José Julio Sarria, the son of Colombian parents and a World War II veteran, became the first openly gay person to run for public office in the United States in 1961. His campaign slogan said it all: “Equality before the law.” Though he didn’t win, he showed us that we could lead, serve, and run proudly as who we are.
Across Latin America, activists like Gloria Careaga Pérez, who co-founded the first LGBTQ studies program at Mexico’s National University, and Pedro Julio Serrano, the Puerto Rican advocate for equality and HIV awareness, remind us that our identities are not obstacles — they are our strength.
Florida Leaders Who Inspire Us
Here in Florida, that strength runs deep.
Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, the first openly gay Latino elected to the Florida Legislature, has been a fearless voice for equality, justice, and inclusion. When extremists tried to silence our stories, he stood on the House floor and declared, “You can try to silence us, but you will never silence our pride.”
Nadine Smith, co-founder of Equality Florida, turned advocacy into action — protecting our community from hate and building coalitions of hope.
Senator Shevrin Jones, Florida’s first openly gay Black state senator, continues to lead with compassion and authenticity, redefining representation in Tallahassee.
Right here in Broward County, we celebrate two more local trailblazers:
Ken Keechl, the first openly gay man elected to the Broward County Commission and later Mayor of Broward County, proved that integrity and courage can open doors once closed to LGBTQ people.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, the city’s first openly gay commissioner and now one of the most visible LGBTQ mayors in America, has made Fort Lauderdale a model for inclusion, a city that stands proudly for equality, diversity, and love.
And we honor the legacy of Mayor Justin Flippen, our beloved “Mayor of Progress.”
Justin led Wilton Manors with kindness, conviction, and heart reminding us that authenticity and leadership are one and the same.
From Stonewall to South Florida and Beyond
When we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month together, we’re not telling two separate stories, we’re telling one story of resilience.
Both movements rose against oppression, demanded visibility, and turned pain into power.
From Harvey Milk, who taught us that coming out is a political act, to Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay U.S. senator, and Pete Buttigieg, who proved that LGBTQ Americans can run for president and serve with pride, our progress has always come from ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Today, we honor a new generation of national leaders who continue that legacy:
Andrea Jenkins, the first Black transgender woman elected to public office in the United States, whose voice on the Minneapolis City Council has brought truth and dignity to the national stage.
Sharice Davids, one of the first Native American women and one of the first openly lesbian members of Congress, who proves that representation can change hearts and policies.
Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet member in U.S. history, who demonstrates that inclusion makes our democracy stronger.
And here in Broward County, the Dolphin Democrats continue to carry that torch forward registering voters, recruiting candidates, educating our neighbors, and mobilizing our community.
Because democracy doesn’t move forward by accident. It moves forward when we do.
A Call to Action
As we honor these heroes — from Sylvia Rivera to Carlos Guillermo Smith, from Ken Keechl to Dean Trantalis, from Andrea Jenkins to Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland, from Harvey Milk to Justin Flippen — let’s do more than celebrate.
Let’s commit.
Commit to growing this movement.
Commit to registering new voters, because every voter we register is a voice for equality. Commit to mentoring young leaders, because the next Justin Flippen is out there, waiting for their chance to lead. And commit to electing Democrats who see us, fight for us, and stand beside us, because representation without action is just symbolism.
Our heritage is not only what we inherit, it’s what we build. Our history is not just what we remember, it’s what we write together.
As Dolphin Democrats, we are the authors of that next chapter. Let’s write it with pride, with courage, and with unity. Latino and LGBTQ, immigrant and ally, all bound by the belief that justice is for everyone.
¡Adelante, Dolphins! Forward together with pride and purpose.
Alfredo Olvera
President
