PFLAG National Releases “Las Familias de PFLAG En Español,” for Hispanic Heritage Month

WASHINGTON — PFLAG National—the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies—today released Las Familias de PFLAG En Español, a new short film in support of Hispanic Heritage Month. The video features members of PFLAG En Español in Los Angeles, a satellite meeting of PFLAG Los Angeles.

WATCH NOW: Las Familias de PFLAG En Español

“Family acceptance and love are core to the work of PFLAG’s chapter network across the country,” said PFLAG National Executive Director Brian K. Bond. “As we celebrate the diversity and richness of our families during Hispanic Heritage Month, we are reminded of why our mission matters.”

Las Familias de PFLAG En Español is directed by Nick Oceano, an award-winning filmmaker whose feature directorial debut, Pedro, the MTV biopic about AIDS activist Pedro Zamora, has played around the world, including at the prestigious Toronto and Berlin Film Festivals. The film, penned by Dustin Lance Black (Milk), was nominated for the Humanitas Prize, a WGA Award, and a GLAAD Award.

For Oceano, directing this film—and working with a primarily Hispanic and Latinx crew, many of whom were LGBTQ+—was incredibly personal.

“Over 20 years ago, I came out of the closet. As a Mexican-American man in my Texas hometown, which was very religious and homophobic, this was especially difficult,” said Oceano. “I walked into a PFLAG meeting with my mother not knowing what the future would hold, and was so relieved to find that there were others going through the same struggles. Working on this film, and walking into this meeting of PFLAG en Español, listening to the personal stories of other Latinx and Hispanic families? It brought me back. I was moved to tears by these parents and grandparents, who support their LGBTQ+ kids. It reminded me that, in our dark times, love still wins. It makes my heart full and hopeful for the future.”

PFLAG en Español Los Angeles is just one PFLAG chapter across the United States that works with Latinx and Hispanic communities; some do so via PFLAG En Español satellite meetings, while others do so via one-on-one, peer-to-peer support. The meetings have been instrumental for the families in Los Angeles, according to the group’s leader Gizella Czene, a longtime PFLAG member herself.

“PFLAG’s mission transcends language and culture,” said Czene, “And the Latinx and Hispanic families of Los Angeles have spoken loudly, bravely, and proudly, saying ‘We love our LGBTQ+ children and we are here to stay.’

“Las Familias de PFLAG En Español truly embodies the heart and soul of PFLAG,” said Bond, “And gives us a model of the important work that is possible, and lies ahead, for our organization.”

In addition to peer-to-peer and meeting support in Spanish, PFLAG National offers a variety of Spanish-language publications and resources which are available for download. Four new translations of popular PFLAG National publications will be released throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, including translations of Be Yourself, for LGBTQ+ youth; Our Children, for parents and families of LGBTQ+ youth; and Cultivating Respect: Safe Schools for All, PFLAG’s safe-schools publication. Visit pflag.org/publications throughout the month for the new releases. To find a PFLAG chapter near you, visit pflag.org/find.

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PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed. To learn more, visit pflag.org, like us on Facebook (/pflag), or follow us on Twitter (@pflag) or Instagram (@pflag).