It’s a first for Oakland.
The city now has an officially designated LGBTQ cultural district and neighborhood.
The new district is called Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.
It overlaps with the existing Lakeshore neighborhood, right next to Lake Merritt.
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The co-founders of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, Jeff Myers and Joe Hawkins, were driving forces behind the new district.
They say the area around Lake Merritt has always been special to the community.
“For those of us who have been living in Oakland a very long time, or who are natives to Oakland, the Lake Merritt area has always been our home. It's been the home where most queer people have lived. It’s the area where so many protests have happened. It's where the first AIDS walk ever happened,” said Joe Hawkins.
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He added that while he loves San Francisco’s Castro District, they plan to make Lakeshore its own unique place.
Proponents say Lakeshore will give Oakland’s LGBTQ families, allies and community members a place without violence and discrimination.
