Owning Your Own Destiny

Nicholas Hatten is the Founder and Executive Director of the San Joaquin Pride Center (SJCP). A proven leader and agent for change, Hatten has challenged the San Joaquin County and Central Valley to evaluate how it can best serve its LGBT+ community. He forged a collaboration with the Los Angeles Pride Center and other LGBT+ agencies that resulted in a million-dollar Covered California Outreach & Education grant, the first time the Central Valley area was included in LGBT+ specific healthcare work. As an organizer, Nicholas was instrumental in empowering local LGBT+ youth to advocate for anti-bullying resources and a focus on better school climates for LGBT+ youth on campus. This resulted in the Stockton Unified School District is the very first district in the state of California to include "LGBT" specific language in their LCFF/LCAP budget in 2016. As the recipient of one of three California Reducing Disparities Pilot Project grants, Hatten is now collaborating with California's Public Health Department on a model for increasing acceptance of LGBT+ youth in schools and within the community that will reduce the rate of incidents that lead to mental health illness among our youth. The mission of the San Joaquin Pride Center is to serve the diverse LGBTQQIA community in San Joaquin County and the surrounding areas by creating a safe and welcoming space, by providing resources that enrich body, mind, and spirit, and by educating the public in tolerance and respect for all people within the LGBTQQIA community. https://www.sjpridecenter.org/ Donation / Fundraising Your support of our Pride Center will help us continue to provide vital services to our LGBT community such as our LGBT sensitivity training, legal referrals, peer groups, and outreach and advocacy within the larger County community. https://www.sjpridecenter.org/donate 🎧Explore Our Award-Winning Special SeriesIf you enjoyed this episode, dive deeper into our 4-part legacy of impact:Where Art Meets Impact: How creativity drives systemic change. Season 1 and Season 2From Bankruptcy to Reinvention: The story of Stockton’s resilience. COVID-19’s Impact Series: Navigating the pandemic's effect on our community.Making the Invisible Visible: Discover the untold stories of finding home.