Volunteers will gather Sunday at a historic Silver Lake gay bar to assemble 100 care packages for people coming out as LGBTQ+, part of a free National Coming Out Day celebration supported by Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez.
The event, organized by the nonprofit BabyGay in partnership with The Black Cat and Soto-Martínez, will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at The Black Cat, 3909 Sunset Blvd., according to organizers.
The gathering will mark the launch of BabyGay’s Welcome-Wagon Initiative, a program designed to provide resources and encouragement to people navigating the coming-out process.
Attendees will assemble 100 care packages containing informational resources, messages of affirmation and handwritten notes of encouragement from LGBTQ+ community members who have previously come out, organizers said.
The initial packages are intended for adults 18 and older and will include a year of access to a therapist-led monthly support group provided by Open Space Therapy Collective.
“I had a really difficult time coming out,” BabyGay founder and CEO PJ Brescia said in a statement. “We’re launching the Welcome-Wagon to make that experience easier for others, building a support system of tangible resources, community and affirmation. Our goal is for everyone who opens one to feel seen, supported and welcomed into our beautiful community.”
The event will also feature drag performances, music from a DJ, food, drinks, vendors and informational tables staffed by LGBTQ+ organizations and community groups.
“Supporting queer communities begins with supporting them through the coming out process,” Soto-Martínez said. “With the leadership of BabyGay, and the support of The Black Cat and community partners across the country, the Welcome Wagon project will help shine a light for hundreds of people looking to break through the darkness of the closet. I cannot think of a better initiative with which to celebrate National Coming Out Day.”
The celebration will include remarks from Soto-Martínez, Brescia and The Black Cat owner Lindsay Kennedy, along with representatives of participating organizations.
Community partners include Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, the Human Rights Campaign, It Gets Better, the Los Angeles Public Library, Mama Dragons, the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department and other organizations.
The program will begin with an orientation from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by the assembly of care packages from 2 to 4 p.m. A celebration and closing remarks are scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m.
The event is free and open to all ages.
The Black Cat holds a significant place in LGBTQ+ civil rights history. In the early hours of Jan. 1, 1967, plainclothes Los Angeles police officers raided the bar, beating and arresting patrons.
On Feb. 11, 1967, more than 200 people gathered outside the establishment to protest the police action, staging one of the earliest organized LGBTQ+ civil rights demonstrations in the United States, more than two years before the Stonewall uprising in New York City.
The site is designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 939 and California Historical Landmark No. 1063.
In October 2024, the Los Angeles City Council formally recognized National Coming Out Day during a presentation led by Councilwoman Nithya Raman honoring The Black Cat and BabyGay.
Founded in 2023, BabyGay provides resources, storytelling and community support for people going through the coming-out process.
Additional information is available at baby.gay.