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How To LA

Creating Community For Black And Brown Queer Folks In LA — At Home And On The Dance Floor

By  Aaricka Washington
Published Jan 25, 2024 6:00 AM
A group of people of various shades of brown pose for a photo at a party.
Matthew Brinkley, at center with an orange beret, and his fiancée and best friend co-host Sissy Stroll, a night where they invite BIPOC folks to party and connect in WeHo at popular bars. They’re pictured here at Revolver.
(
Matthew Brinkley
/
Courtesy
)
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Topline:

 Every month, How To LA host Brian De Los Santos and Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido share what’s happening around Los Angeles for the segment “Social Calendar.”

Why it matters (to L.A.): Brian and Antonia speak with Matthew Brinkley, a licensed psychotherapist and a relationship and queer life coach in L.A. He also co-hosts the web show Sissy That Psyche, where he and his co-hosts talk about the latest RuPaul’s Drag Race tea and deconstruct the awkward moments and fights through a mental health lens. As part of his work, Brinkley hosts regular events, like the Sissy Stroll, throughout L.A. to help connect Black and brown people in the queer community. In the How to LA episode, Brinkley talked about why he feels the need to carve out this space for folks. He said, unlike other big cities, it’s hard to find specifically Black queer events in L.A.

“We're bringing the essence of community from the East Coast to the West Coast, in how we are building this community for Black queer folks, Black and Brown queer folks, honestly, BIPOC folks,” Brinkley said. “We are just really wanting everyone to be in our spaces.”

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His social calendar pick: Naturally, his own event, the Sissy Stroll is on the top of his list. It’s a night of bar hopping at popular WeHo bars and clubs. “It’s so much fun and it's really about building community,” Brinkley said. “We want folks to go away meeting someone new, exchange that Instagram, get that contact because we want this to continue growing.”

Favorite Matthew Brinkley quote: “The term sissy is, we're trying to recoin that because, it's very controversial," Brinkley said. “You can use your feminine energy to be the most powerful being in the world. I love the fact that I can show up as my authentic self and have fun and be vibrant, flamboyant, and just make people feel comfortable.”

Brinkley's other events:

  • Feb. 8: The Lovers Ball, a party in downtown L.A. with house, vogue and Afro house beats. Event listing says to “bring out your sexiest red looks.” 
  • Feb. 10: SXTPS Reboot, a party that’s meant for “Black and Brown kids of the underground”
  • Sissy With An S: A house party that he and his friends throw and invite people in the community and build space and hold space for them to be themselves and make friends. (Check Brinkley’s Insta for more details.)

Listen to the episode: Listen to the latest How To LA podcast episode to learn about what events Brian and Antonia are checking out this month.

Listen • 20:41
Social Calendar: Sissy That Nightlife

How to find Matthew Brinkley online: 

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