Historical Society of Long Beach
Ellen Ward was on the cutting edge of the gay liberation movement; in 1975, she and her partners created the famous Que Sera with ambiance and good music on Seventh Street in Long Beach. Ward was an advocate for safe gathering places for lesbians, and bars were one of those important spaces. Born in 1937
Marsha Naify was born and raised in San Francisco but moved to Long Beach in the 1970s where she became involved with the local lesbian and gay community. In Long Beach, Ms. Naify opened the Community Coffee House/Hot Java in the late 1990s with the intent of uniting the LGBT community in the area referred
Vanessa Romain served as a board member of the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade for decades and worked on the first festival in 1984. She has worked a fulfilling career as a social worker, human rights activist, and leader with Southern California Women for Understanding. Below are some of her experiences working for
