Entre Hermanos Champions the Health and Rights of Seattle's LGBTQ+ Latinx Community with Comprehensive Services

Seattle's LGBTQ+ Latinx community has a strong advocate in Entre Hermanos, an organization that specializes in providing a wide array of services such as health care, legal aid, and cultural outreach to meet the specific needs of this population.

"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," explained an Entre Hermanos representative in an interview, as noted by Seattle Human Interests.

The group's annual outreach touches more than 7,000 individuals, offering both high-touch interventions, like medical case management for HIV and STD testing, and reaching out through more extensive educational campaigns, not forgetting the thousands of encounters made possible through social media and radio—Seattle Human Services (HSD) has been instrumental in this reach. For more than three decades, Entre Hermanos has provided culturally and linguistically sensitive services that are especially crucial for clients who face the layered challenges of being immigrants, non-English speakers, or undocumented, the organization's growth including the addition of legal services focused on transgender asylum seekers, and the upcoming expansion to Yakima where services are sorely needed.

Founded in 1990 as a response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, the group has since moved well beyond its original mission, evolving to address a wider spectrum of vulnerabilities faced by its clients. Entre Hermanos now stands proud in its 33rd year, its mission and service offerings having blossomed significantly from the original focus on HIV/AIDS to a broader spectrum of support services that cater to the intersecting identities and needs of its community members.

Investment by HSD and City of Seattle taxpayers is deemed essential, it ensures that organizations like Entre Hermanos can continue to bridge gaps in communication and safety for marginalized communities. "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," highlighted an Entre Hermanos staff member in a statement obtained by Seattle Human Interests. 

Seattle's investment in community-led initiatives has real benefits, as shown by Amerik's story. He went from volunteer to staff member through an event funded by the city's Arts in the Park program. The drive and passion of its staff form the backbone of Entre Hermanos, driven by their own lived experiences and intersectional identities to meet the complex needs of those they serve. "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," they proudly proclaim, as per the Seattle Human Interests.