Desert Hot Springs to Hold LGBTQ+ Town Hall

City Hall Will Serve as Backdrop for LGBTQ+ Town Hall

DESERT HOT SPRINGS — For the third consecutive year, this increasingly diverse community will hold an LGBTQ+ Town Hall.

DiversityDHS,  a non-profit, charitable, social and community benefit organization dedicated to uplifting and betterment of the LGBTQ community of Desert Hot Springs, has been instrumental in organizing the Town Hall.

The purpose of this meeting in particular is to give an update on the city in general and to answer questions of concerns from the group, Mayor Scott Matas told Uken Report.

“In the 2020 census it was reported that Desert Hot Springs was the most diverse city in the Coachella Valley,” Matas said. “That being said, our LGBTQ+ community is a key piece to making this happen.  I support their effort and support them reaching out to our police department and city leaders to talk about the concerns they might have.”

Matas said that he hopes to garner broad-based support for the group’s concerns.

“I hope that between the Police Chief and I we are able to talk through and build confidence in the group that their city is responsive to their concerns and needs.”

Police Chief Jim Henson is currently out of the office until Monday, Oct. 30 and was not available for comment.

The LGBTQ+ Town Hall is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 30 in the Desert Hot Springs City Hall Council Chambers, 11999 Palm Drive.

Joey Robinson, president of DiversityDHS, told Uken Report that his goal is “to discuss issues facing the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups and to enlighten the community (about) strategies to deal with them here in Desert Hot Springs.”

Diverse communities are seeing a rapid and troubling increase in prejudice and crime directed towards them from others throughout the country,” Robinson said.

“(It makes) people concerned as to what is coming next,” Robinson said.

His mission for the evening, Robinson said, is to ensure the community members in Desert Hot Springs, city officials, along with law enforcement officers, are aware of these issues and are working every day to ensure that “DHS continues to rank as the safest city here in Coachella Valley to live.”

In June, the Palm Springs Police Chief held a similar town hall meeting.