Mayor Robert Garcia

A MAYOR’S DOZEN: 12 Questions with Robert Garcia, the Proud Mayor of Long Beach

by Charlie Gage

This month marks the 32nd Annual Long Beach Pride Parade and Festival. On May 16 and 17 upwards of 80,000 people will descend upon this beachside city tucked between Orange County and Los Angeles to take part in one of the largest LGBT celebrations in the country. This year Long Beach has something very special to be proud of as the city is now lead by their first ever openly gay mayor Robert Garcia. We sat down with Mayor Garcia to talk about his experiences, his city, and all things pride.

GED: Just over a year ago you were elected the youngest Mayor in Long Beach history, as well as its first gay mayor, and first Latino Mayor. How has the adventure been so far?

MAYOR ROBERT GARCIA: It’s been great. It’s fantastic to be able to represent the city I love and to serve all the people who call Long Beach home. Every day I wake up grateful and ready to get to work. It’s been about 9 months so far and I am really enjoying it. I am reminded every day that I’m in this role to help people and lead our city forward. And while I certainly feel a special connection and a responsibility to Latinos and the LGBT community, my job is to represent everyone in this city, and I’m proud to do that.

GED: Do you think you have faced any challenges as Mayor that being gay, Latino, under 40, or any combination of has helped you conquer?

GARCIA: You know, I think when you have the experience of being in a minority group—whether it’s being Latino, gay, an immigrant or whatever it is—you learn to develop a thick skin and not let obstacles stop you from pursuing your goals and your dreams. So that helps, being mayor, having that experience of just moving forward no matter what. And, being young I think has helped me be open to things like technology, or nontraditional approaches to economic development that can really improve the City.

GED: Will you be attending this year’s Long Beach Pride festival, and will you be in the parade?

GARCIA: I never miss Pride. It’s just one of the best times to be in Long Beach. But I think it’s especially important that I show up this year, not just because it’s my first PRIDE as Mayor, but because I’m the Grand Marshal—which is going to be lots of fun.

GED: Long before you were the Mayor of Long Beach, or even on the City Council, you were a student at Cal State Long Beach. When did you first attend LB Gay Pride, and what was your experience like?

GARCIA: My first pride was in 2003. I rode in the parade with some friends in a stretch limo and  needless to say, we all had a great time.

GED: What is your best memory from your years attending LB Pride?

GARCIA: My best memories are from my first Pride. I just remember feeling incredibly welcome and had a great time with friends. I was just a few years out of college and was probably enjoying myself too much.

GED: The Long Beach Pride parade and festival is now said to be the 3rd largest Pride Festival in the U.S., yet outside of Southern California the city is still more known for the Queen Mary, the Grand Prix, Snoop Dog, and Sublime. How important to the city do you feel is its LGBT identity?

GARCIA: I think it’s very important. The LGBT community is extremely visible and very involved in the political, social and economic life of Long Beach. They represent some of the best values Long Beach embraces – equality, tolerance, love, and celebrating those things. I’m certainly proud of our strong LGBT community and I think it’s part of what makes us a great city. I do think we are nationally known as a strong LGBT city and that recognition is growing.

GED: Do you feel pressure or obligation as an openly gay mayor to have Long Beach compete on any level with cities more traditionally gay cities like West Hollywood and San Francisco?

GARCIA: I wouldn’t say I feel pressure to compete. I think these festivals are unique and there’s plenty of room for all the pride festivals in California. But I do think that as Mayor it is my job to promote our PRIDE week and to make sure everyone knows that we have a parade and festival that is on same level as any city in the world. Personally, I think ours is the best there is – but I love going to other cities for pride when I have the opportunity. Every city has something different to offer.

GED: Every city with a large gay population has a different feel. The gay enclaves of Castro and Hillcrest have very unique personalities. How would you describe the LGBT community of Long Beach?

GARCIA: I think very diverse, very laid-back, very welcoming. Just like Long Beach in general—we are extremely urban but keep the feeling of a close-knit community. It’s really the best of both worlds.

GED: Besides being the first openly gay Mayor of Long Beach you’re also its first Latino Mayor. The city has a large Latino population and a proportionately large Latino LGBT Community. The Fiesta Caliente stage at LB Pride has become the largest section of the festival. Do you think there are any special needs of the queer Latino community that your background makes you uniquely equipped to address?

GARCIA: I think the Latino Gay community has the same interests as a majority of the rest of the LGBT community – we want access to equal rights, be treated fairly, and to be fully supported in the community. I think in addition, there are some challenges for those LGBT undocumented immigrants because many of them would be forced back in the closet in their home countries. LGBT rights in most of Mexico and Latin America is further behind than in the
United States.

GED: We know that you and Long Beach publicly endorsed full marriage equality, but what is your stance on the current Religious Freedom laws being passed around the country?

GARCIA: Those laws are incredibly offensive and it is sad to see that there are people who still believe we should deny gay Americans basic rights and freedoms. I am a strong supporter of religious freedom and separation of church and state. But religion can never be used as an excuse for inequality or exclusion.

GED: We at GED feel all of the LGBT community should be one inclusive family, and we would never ask you to compare queer populations . . . but if someone could only go to one So Cal Pride festival why should they choose Long Beach Pride?

GARCIA: That’s easy. Best people and city around.

GED: Finally, what are you proud of?
GARCIA: I’m proud of many things. I’m extremely proud to be an American and to be  Latino. I’m proud to be openly gay and to live in a city that honors diversity and supports equality. But what I’m really thinking about this week is how proud I am to be Mayor of this incredible city with so many amazing people, and how grateful I am for my partner Matt. That’s what I’ll be celebrating at PRIDE.