About Diversity Collective Ventura County

About Us

Diversity Collective Ventura County is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is solely dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas. Driven by our board of directors and highly qualified staff, we strengthen our community by providing programs, resources, and outreach events. Diversity Collective's Community Resource Center is a safe, inclusive, and affirming space for all LGBTQ+ people and their allies.

Mission:
Providing advocacy, visibility, safety, and wellness for the LGBTQ+ community.

Vision:
A Ventura County community where LGBTQ+ individuals, inclusive of all intersecting identities, have immediate access to needed services, are celebrated, and treated with equity and respect.

Our Values:

An infographic showcasing the core values of diversity collective ventura county, emphasizing inclusion, respect, diversity, education, and advocacy within the community.

Our Community Resource Center is the proud home of our programs such as Rainbow Umbrella, Little Unicorns, Outspoken, VENXS, and Pride Nook.  We are also creators of Diversity SHINES, our STI/HIV screening, education, and prevention program.  We provide cultural competency intensive training, specifically grounded in Ventura County statistics and values.  Diversity Collective hosts Ventura County Pride, World AIDS Day, Pride Prom, and Diversity Gala, as well as participating in community outreach events.

Diverse Rainbow Diverse Inclusive Accepting Welcoming Safe Space For Everyone

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

DCVC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion as we carry out our mission. This commitment applies to both the mission of the organization and the ways we interact with and provide opportunities for our staff, volunteers, and community.

We are Ventura County's LGBTQ community. We believe that all people deserve a diverse, inclusive, accepting and welcoming safe space. In lifting each other up even when it's hard, we build allies, opportunities and resources to live our best lives and help those around us do the same. We recognize that we cannot be successful without welcoming all perspectives, incorporating all points of view, and driving toward a world where everyone is provided the same opportunity to thrive. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees, volunteers, and community invest in their work shapes a significant part of not only our shared culture but of DCVC’s reputation and organizational achievement.

News & Updates

Graphic of a whimsical unicorn with a rainbow mane and the text "little unicorns" surrounded by stars.

Little Unicorns – Sat 3/29

March 14, 2025 |

Join us for Little Unicorns on Saturday, March 29th from 1 – 3pm at our Community Resource…

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Logos of various organizations including Equality California, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and others focused on LGBTQ+, legal, health, and community services.

Your Rights in California

February 14, 2025 |

Wondering what laws protect you and/or your transgender, gender diverse, or intersex friends and family in California…

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Free HIV & STI Screening

February 14, 2025 |

Upcoming Testing Day: April 7th Do you know your status? Schedule a FREE confidential screening at our…

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A logo of an open book with rainbow-colored pages and sparkles above it, accompanied by the text "The Pride Nook" in cursive at the bottom.

Pride Nook Reading List (March – Aug 2025)

February 10, 2025 |

Below is the list the of books the Pride Nook will be reading March – August 2025….

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Join us for a dazzling Drag Queen Bingo extravaganza at Paddys Lounge in Ventura on Feb 16th at 4:00 PM, featuring the fabulous Cooper the Queen. Proceeds benefit Rainbow Umbrella for Pride Prom. Dont miss out on this colorful celebration!.

Drag Queen Bingo – Sunday 2/16

February 9, 2025 |

Join us for Cooper The Queen’s “Last Call” as host of Drag Queen Bingo at Paddy’s Bar…

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Graphic of a whimsical unicorn with a rainbow mane and the text "little unicorns" surrounded by stars.

Little Unicorns – Sat 2/22

February 9, 2025 |

Join us for Little Unicorns on Saturday, February 22nd from 1 – 3pm at our Community Resource…

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SEE ALL NEWS & UPDATES

Community Resource Center

Our Community Resource Center provides a safe space for the LGBTQIA community of Ventura County. Our staff and volunteers support the health and wellness of the most marginalized, advocate for equality and justice through civic engagement, and work to build a culturally rich community through various groups and classes. At the Diversity Collective Community Resource Center, we strengthen, support, and connect our LGBTQIA community. Together we all thrive.

General Office Hours

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Weekdays  |  CALL US  |  GET DIRECTIONS

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CRC PARTNERS
RESOURCES

Upcoming Meetings & Events

View Calendar

SEE ALL EVENTS

Meet Our Team

Board of Directors

Head shot of Roand Catabona
Roland
Catabona
President
him/him/his

Roland Catabona

Roland Catabona relocated back to his hometown Oxnard in 2015, after working his way up in Community and Business Banking for over 18 years. During his corporate career, he volunteered his time with LGBT+ Centers and events in San Diego, Palm Springs, and San Francisco. He was excited to find DCVC and immediately started to get involved with the center’s major events throughout the years. He served as co-chair for AIDS Walk Ventura 2019 and co-chair for fundraising and vendors for Ventura County Pride 2019.

He also brings awareness of HIV/AIDS in our community by participating alongside his partner, riding their bikes in AIDS LifeCycle 2018 & 2019. They would love to grow the Ventura County region of cyclists and roadies!

Leveraging his experience in financial services and his passion to help others succeed and grow, he and his team educate individuals, families, and business owners to create a strong financial foundation by focusing on increasing cash flow, reducing debt, protecting those that are most valuable to you, college funding, long-term savings, and estate planning. He continually builds a team with World Financial Group and Transamerica Financial Advisors.

You can also find Roland on his yoga mat. He is a certified Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga instructor.

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A smiling person with short hair and glasses, wearing a denim shirt and hoop earrings, stands against a textured white wall.
Unique
Dowtin
Secretary
she/her/hers

Unique Dowtin

Unique Dowtin is a library professional and filmmaker. Her work in several public library systems fostered her sense of community, advocacy, and lifelong learning. Currently, she is a Library Assistant at The Getty.

Since moving to Ventura in 2018. Unique has volunteered for several local LGBTQIA+ organizations and events including AIDSWalk, Ventura Pride, and Loud & Queer. She is excited and delighted to serve on the board of DCVC.

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Woman with glasses smiling, holding a coffee cup, wearing a "ride" t-shirt, standing in front of a graffiti-covered wall.
Patricia
Logan
Treasurer
she/her/hers

Patricia Logan

Patricia Logan is an ally, advocate, and mom. She has also been a long time supporter and volunteer throughout Ventura County. Her passion for human rights has driven her to dedicate time to The Human Rights Campaign, Project Understanding, and Alzheimer's Association. Her volunteer work with Alzheimer's Association is in dedication to her mother.

Patricia joined the Board of Directors at Diversity Collective Ventura County in December of 2018. Patricia has served on several DCVC committees; AIDS Walk, DCVC Gala, and Ventura County Pride. 

As a mom, she has witnessed the effects of discrimination and injustice on her queer child. This has been her call to action to work for equality for all living beings. 

In her free time, you will find PK grounding herself in plant life, listening to favorite podcasts, (Reply All & My Favorite Murder) spending time in the bay area with family checking out what all the third wave coffee shops have to offer.

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Head shot of Luis Andrade
Luis
Andrade
Director
him/him/his

Luis Andrade

Luis Andrade is a full-time employee with Bank of America as a Testing Specialist for the Enterprise Independent Testing (EIT) team under Global Risk Management (GRM). His career with Bank of America began in 2004, after 14 years in the banking and mortgage industry.

Additionally, Luis serves on the leadership team of the Bank of America Southern California LGBT+ Pride Chapter as the Events Lead. He is also involved with Bank of America’s MSAG (Military Support and Assistance Group) and HOLA (Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement) employee networks.

As a member of the Board of Directors of Diversity Collective Ventura County, Luis continues engaging in networking and volunteering opportunities that encourage others to help enrich and develop their local communities.

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Tie
Gutierrez
Director
they/she/ella

Tie Gutierrez

Tie identifies as a queer Chicana and plant lover. They are excited to join the board with 14+ years Tech Industry experience as an HR leader, DEI program curator, event planner & local Academic Partner. Tie is known for fostering innovative safe spaces for inclusive community conversations & healing. In the last 3-4 years their passion has driven them to specifically focus outside the workplace and on safe equitable experiences, representation and diversity for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ communities. They actively build out & direct programming related to the facilitation of wellness offerings in community and on campus, support within the arts community, student/small business mentorship and serve as a local politics advocate/committee member throughout Ventura County.

Tie describes herself as a Ventura County native, raised in Oxnard by her mother “Mama Connie”, a longtime community advocate. In 1997 their family was provided secure housing and relocated to Thousands Oaks by Habitat for Humanity. Tie loves the community, county and is learning how to wholeheartedly exist in the city they live in and their life experience motivates the work they have sought out.

You can find Tie pursuing wellness at the beach, hiking, camping or road-tripping with their favorite human and son Zaiah (he/they) who is never more than a few feet away! They are a packaged deal and you will rarely find one without the other. (Or at least for now, while mom can still pull off being cool)

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Two people smiling for a portrait, one wearing a flat cap and the other with glamorous makeup and a black outfit.
Cooper
The Queen
Director
any pronouns

Cooper The Queen

Cooper/The Queen is an educator, community advocate, and professional drag artist. Being raised as the eldest child to a single, disabled parent, Cooper has spent much of his life in the service of his family/community. While attending Utah State University, Cooper would expand that service into philanthropic initiatives for his community, helping to raise funds for organizations such as Operation Smiles.

After graduating with a Bachelors of Science, Cooper focused his career on education and providing avenues to achieve success. He is currently the Undergraduate Manager for the Physics Department at UC Santa Barbara. There he also works with the Climate Committee to address how to make the community more accessible to underserved populations.

It was also shortly after graduating that Cooper discovered the art of drag and began to use his talents to bring communities together with laughter, joy, and song. This can be seen through his work hosting events such as Oxnard BLM Pride and Ventura County Pride. Cooper also hosts the monthly Drag Queen Bingo which raises money for different community non-profits such as Toys for Tots, MICOP, and more.

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A smiling man in a blue shirt against a pale background.
AJ
Holmes
Director
he/him/his

AJ Holmes

AJ Holmes is a business owner and photographer now proudly based in Ventura County.  Originally from Tennessee, AJ moved to California for work in 2020 and has since sought to be a more active member of the community.  A lover of travel, AJ has road-tripped to 47 states and enjoys spending time outdoors by hiking, camping, and biking whenever possible.  In his spare time he also enjoys baking and trying new restaurants and bars.  
 
With a background in non-profit work and political work and experience as an LGBT Caucus Representative with the Society for Photographic Education, AJ is committed to promoting inclusion and support for his queer siblings everywhere.
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Travis
Aldavé
Director
he/him/his

Travis Aldavé

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Staff Directory

Tess Allen
Executive Director
she/her/hers

Tess Allen

Proudly directing the Community Resource Center, Tess Allen brings her background in non-profit development and events to Diversity Collective Ventura County. She has been working in the non-profit sector for over 15 years.

With a degree in musical theatre, dance, and choreography from Boston Conservatory, she finds herself frequently singing and chasse-ing down the hallways of the center, startling the office tenants as she goes.

When not at the center, you will most likely find her at a Southern California ice rink, watching her daughter throw herself at the ice while she learns a double lutz or at home, squinting at watercolor paper as she works on yet another tedious pointillism project.

Tess is excited to be able to serve the Ventura County LGBTQ+ community and bring a sense of humor, joy, and empowerment to everyone she meets.

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Edgar Euan
Community Outreach Manager
he/him/his
Andrea Robles
Operations Administrator
she/her/hers

Meet Our Sponsors

Our sponsors help to fund programs and events that promote diversity through education-focused community outreach, which will allow the development of programs that will eventually translate into greater mental and physical wellness for the LGBT community.

Interested in partnering with us?

Contact Us

Please contact us via phone, mail, or email using the form below. To get involved by volunteering, sponsoring or donating to the Diversity Collective, please check out our Get Involved page.

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805.644.LGBT (5428)

info@diversitycollective.org

2471 Portola Road Suite 100
Ventura, CA 93003
Please call for drop-in hours

For free PrEP and PEP navigation or to schedule an STI screening at our Community Resource Center call our confidential line:

805.665.3193

We do what we do, because of you.

Diversity Collective of Ventura County is able to help our community because of our incredible network of supporters including sponsors, donors and volunteers. Without you all, we would not exist. If the Diversity Collective has made an impact on your life, or in the life of someone you love, consider supporting our case in whatever way you are able. We sincerely appreciate you.

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Thank You to Our Partners & Sponsors