With hundreds of devastating wildfires raging across our state, the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis and ever-present threats of earthquakes, mudslides and other disasters, it is urgent for all Californians — especially members of vulnerable communities like ours — to embrace a new culture of emergency preparedness.

Being prepared for the next fire, flood, earthquake or epidemic is vitally important to every Californian. But not every person or every family across our diverse state has equal access to the information and resources necessary to prepare for the worst. With approximately 2 million LGBTQ+ Californians over the age of 13, it’s up to all of us to make sure our friends, families and neighbors are prepared for the next disaster.

We have partnered with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Listos California — a campaign anchored at the California Office of Emergency Services — to encourage members of our community to get prepared just in time for National Disaster Preparedness Month in September.

We encourage you to follow Listos California’s simple 5 Steps to Prepare for a Disaster, which are: 

1. Get alerts to know what to do. 
2. Make a plan to protect your people by creating an emergency contact list and an evacuation plan.
3. Pack a go bag with things you need.
4. Build a stay box to stay safe at home when you can’t leave.
5. Help friends and neighbors get ready.

The work of our organizations varies but we have a common goal: to secure the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ Californians and the diverse communities to which we belong. Please join us in ensuring that all LGBTQ+ Californians are prepared for the next disaster by taking the 5 Steps to Prepare for a Disaster this September — and encouraging your friends, family and neighbors to do the same!

In solidarity,

Equality California

APLA Health

Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center

California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network

California State University at Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

County of Santa Clara Office of LGBTQ Affairs

The Diversity Center 

El/La Para TransLatinas 

Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)

The Gala Pride and Diversity Center

Kaiser Permanente

LGBT Asylum Project

LGBTQ Center OC

LGBTQ Connection

Lambda Legal

Latino Equality Alliance

Northern Valley Catholic Social Service

Oakland LGBTQ Community Center

Our Family Coalition

Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley

Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance

The Source LGBT+ Center

South Asian Network

Still Bisexual

Stonewall Alliance of Chico

The TransLatin@ Coalition