MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Growing up on Milwaukee’s South side in a Mexican and Black household as the second youngest out of seven, Kevin Turner-Espinoza says he had a good childhood but remembers questioning his identity at a young age.
“With those struggles, I also found myself questioning who I am as a male, found myself saying, ‘Am I gay?’ at the age of 10 and didn't really know what that meant, but just knew that I was attracted to males at that time and so I struggled a lot in my life,” said Kevin Turner-Espinoza, Executive Director, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center.
Kevin says that because of his religious background, he didn’t come out until he was 28.
Still, he credits his faith with helping him as he explored his queerness.
“I grew up in a very big church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. And still, to this day, I have a lot of ‘lifetime’ family members I call them and a lot of my family as far as my queer family, who were very supportive of me when some of my church wasn't and took me underneath their wing,” said Turner-Espinoza.
His work with Journey House Community Center caught the attention of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center as they looked for their newest leader.
After a nationwide search, Kevin’s tenacity and drive put him ahead of the rest and in May of 2022, he was named Executive Director, making history as the first Black, gay and cis man to lead the organization.
“I came into the center with the idea that I'm going to reimagine the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, but also reimagine who we are as a queer family and really think about that we have everything that we need, but we don't at the same time,” said Turner-Espinoza.
In his first year of leadership, Kevin says the organization has grown tremendously, offering those in need food through their pantry, education, healthcare, and overall support in any way they can.
“We are here because we know what we're doing. We know our work and our worth. But the other part of it too, that keeps my heart beating is my love for my city,” said Turner-Espinoza.
This year marks the Center’s 25th anniversary and as the team looks ahead toward the future, Kevin says they still have a lot of work to do, but he feels empowered in seeing how much they have already accomplished so far.
“I take this role very seriously and yes, I am the first Black in this position, but I want my community to know that I'm here for you,” said Turner-Espinoza.
For more information on the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, click here.
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