According to the US Census Bureau, by the year 2010 Hispanic Americans will surpass black Americans as the number one minority in this country.  The Census defines Hispanics, as persons who come, or whose descendants come from Spanish-speaking countries.  Latino-Americans are defined as persons from Latin American countries, such as Brazil and other countries, where Spanish is not necessarily the official language.  The Hispanic community in the US presently represents ten percent of the population.  As the Latino community continues to grow, the lesbian and gay civil rights movement simultaneously will gain momentum in addressing issues important to all gay and lesbian Americans.  The Latino gay and Latina lesbian community is slowly shaping itself for a strong entrance into the twenty-first century.
Latino gays and Latina lesbians have been involved in the united struggle for equality since the origin of the gay civil rights movement.  My fellow Puerto Ricans were among the transvestites, transgenderists, bisexuals, lesbians and gay men who challenged police and other social authorities during the 1969 Stonewall riots.  Through the years the Latino/a gay and lesbian voice has been lost in a movement predominantly steered by white gay men and in a culture that fosters hatred and discrimination towards its perceived weak and undesirable members.  The combination of these two factors has made the Latino gay and lesbian community an almost invisible force in today's society.  Our time has come.
        Ten years ago, during the 1987 Gay and Lesbian March on Washington, the National Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization (LLEGO) was born, to nurture a sense of national movement.  In Spanish, the acronym ‘LLEGO’ means to arrive.  Since its creation, National LLEGO has been providing advocacy, leadership and technical assistance to numerous local organizations and at national forums, conferences and seminars.  LLEGO presently serves as an umbrella group for more than eighty Latino/a based gay and lesbian organizations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
Organizations based in New York City include Latino Gay Men of New York, Las Buenas Amigas, Latinos y Latinas de Ambiente de Nueva York (LLANY) and the Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment (PRIDE).  These and other groups have formed to address the specific issues of the Latino gay and lesbian community.  Conferences have been held throughout the country to help define and discuss these issues and to create a sense of unity within this new movement - a movement that is in itself a subdivision of two separate national movements.
        Marta Ramirez, of National LLEGO believes we still have a long way to go, but we are coming together.  “There has not been a sense of community on a national level.  On a local level, it is there.  It will take some time, considering the differences in cultures and in countries. We try to strengthen a national agenda, and create a sense of wholeness.”  The organization is working toward social justice, however Ms. Ramirez adds “We are only as strong as our community.”   The opinion of Ms. Ramirez is that the Latino community as a whole ignores Latino gay and lesbians because our culture is “homophobic and sexist.”  This stops communication within the “straight” Latino community and ourselves.  It makes it difficult for us to come to grips with the separation.  “A lot of us have assimilated to be able to deal with our sexuality.  The Latino community is not very supportive, not very loving” toward our issues, says the Colombian raised communications manager.
        National LLEGO will continue to play an important part in the Latino/a gay and lesbian endeavor.  Ms. Ramirez predicts we will begin to participate in other issues that relate to our existence.  Participation in broader health, social and political issues.  In addition to HIV and AIDS, breast cancer and diabetes will become important issues, along with hate crimes, domestic violence and substance abuse.  Though she sees a promising future, she acknowledges that “We can’t do it all, we need to rely on other organizations.”
        The executive director of LLEGO, Martin Ornelas Quintero, sees tremendous growth and development in a number of institutions.  He mentions that most of the organizations represented by his group are relatively new.  “There is no institutional history to support our movement,” Quintero said via a telephone conversation.  He believes that Latino/a gays and lesbians have to become stronger players within our movement.  “We must take care of our own, because no one else will do it with our compassion and care.”  Mr. Quintero sees young people growing up with positive Latino/a gay and lesbian adults as role models.  There are incredible things happening and the Chicano-Mexicano has only an optimistic outlook on the future.  “Preparatory work is happening now and we are preparing for the next millennium.”