After years of anticipation, residents observed the conceptual designs for the new Long Beach LGBTQ+ Plaza on the corner of East Broadway and Junipero Avenue Wednesday evening.
The project was initiated in June 2022, when the Long Beach City Council approved the proposal created by District 2 Councilmember Cindy Allen and then-Mayor Robert Garcia.
“This place [the Broadway Corridor] has been a place that served as a home, a gathering space and a source of pride for all of the LGBTQ+ community,” Allen said during the unveiling. “This corridor carries a powerful history of community, advocacy, celebration and resilience.”
The project is funded by the Elevate 28’ Infrastructure Investment Plan, $850,000 that Congressman Garcia attained through Congress and Measure A and Federal Earmarks.
“We have over $3 million that we’re going to be investing into this neighborhood so it’s super exciting,” said Joshua Hickman, director of the Public Works Department. “Our goal is to make these investments over the next couple of years for 2028.”
According to the LGBTQ+ Cultural District Strategic Improvement Plan, the district will run from Alamitos to Temple Avenue, spanning approximately 1.4 miles.
Phase I of the LGBTQ+ Cultural District Project consists of these recommendations:
- Festoon cross-street lighting
- Pride Plaza in Bixby Park
- Art Murals
The LGBTQ+ vision board and community surveys from 2022-2023 show that participants skew towards new lights for visibility and safety, art installations (or murals), historical markers and a historical monument.
Long Beach resident Amber Va called the cultural district really inspiring and said she can’t wait to see it come to fruition.
“It makes me optimistic and hopeful. Long Beach has always been full of diversity and inclusion and seeing the downtown corridors specifically, I think it’s gonna make me feel more safe and lighten the light ahead,” Va said.
Jewels Long Beach, a local drag queen, moved to Long Beach in 1998 after high school, a life-changing decision for her. She said the LGBTQ+ Cultural District will be a huge step forward for future LGBTQ+ folks and folks who love peace, freedom and individuality.
“It brings a sense of joy and pride, literal pride in our city,” Jewels said about the cultural district. “There are so many great, rich cultural districts in our city and it’s really cool to see an LGBTQ+ district being brought to the forefront as well.”
Long Beach resident of 33 years, David Cosio, said the center makes him feel empowered, seen and safer. Cosio said he likes the idea of adding more lights to make it safer for people walking from bars and restaurants or into their own cars.
“It’s gonna give them a home, it’s gonna give them a safe space,” Cosio said. “We are in a time where they’re trying to erase us in a lot of different areas, but now we’re gonna have a space that you can call home.”
The City of Long Beach also proposed future recommendations for the project, such as:
- Tree/facade uplighting
- Utility box art
- Decorative crosswalks
- Educational concrete
- Historical plaques
- Neon wall art
- Pedestrian-scale lighting
- Gateway and wayfinding signage
- Freestanding kiosks
The City of Long Beach is also exploring a separate project, the creation of the Long Beach AIDS Memorial, dedicated to those who lost their life to HIV/AIDS, with photos of memorial parks in West Hollywood and New York City serving as examples.
To give your thoughts and learn more about the LGBTQ+ Cultural District Project, visit lbcity.info/lgbtqdistrict.
Samuel Chacko
Photojournalist
Samuel Chacko is an award-winning photojournalist from Long Beach, California. Samuel currently works as a freelance journalist for multiple publications and he is a class of 2025 Cal State Long Beach graduate. Samuel loves watching sports (the Ravens and the Yankees) and taking photos.
Check out more of Samuel’s work here: https://samuelchacko.com/
