GYLDA LGTBI+

GYLDA LGTBI+ is a Spanish association dedicated to the support and defence of the LGTBIQ+ community in La Rioja, with its headquarters in Logroño. It is federated in FELGTBI+, the Spanish State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals and Intersex people. The organisation traces its name and lineage to an earlier independent association, "Gays Y Lesbianas De Aquí" (GYLDA), founded in Logroño around 1994–1995 and dissolved in 2012. The current entity was re-founded in 2016 by former members and new incorporations, taking up the same acronym. GYLDA LGTBI+ works across visibility, advocacy, social support and cultural programming. Since 2022 it has managed the Centro de Atención LGTBI+ de La Rioja in Logroño, a service providing social support, psychology, guidance and legal advice to LGTBI+ people and their families, dependent on the Directorate General for Equality of the Government of La Rioja. The association organises and participates in La Rioja Orgullo, including the annual demonstration in Logroño, and promotes cultural initiatives such as Morrete Fest and Conciertos por el Morrete. It also runs volunteering programmes and maintains an active presence on social media under the handle @GyldaRioja. The organisation is governed by a board renewed in 2022: Ruth García Pinar as president, Jesús Cárcamo as vice-president, Javier Alfaro as secretary and Rubén Astorga as treasurer. Its public messaging emphasises visibility as an act of equality, solidarity and the defence of diversity, and it has warned about rising hate speech and attacks against the collective. Membership grew significantly after La Rioja Orgullo 2022, which drew a record attendance in the region.

The origins of GYLDA lie in the early 1990s, when the need arose in La Rioja to create a group supporting non-heterosexual people. Between 1994 and 1995 the first association of gays and lesbians was founded in Logroño, constituted mostly by women and gradually expanding over the years. During the 2000s GYLDA had several premises, the most visible being the Centro Arco Iris, which provided guidance and support in collaboration with the Logroño City Council — the first such service in the province. This premises closed for political reasons, and in 2012 the association was dismantled, with its services transferred to other organisations. In 2016 the association re-emerged under the name GYLDA LGTBI+ with former members and new incorporations. At that time José Sáenz served as president, Jesús Cárcamo as secretary and Rubén Astorga as treasurer. In 2021 Ruth García Pinar joined as vice-president, later becoming president. In 2022 the board was renewed and remains in place: Ruth García Pinar as president, Jesús Cárcamo as vice-president, Javier Alfaro as secretary and Rubén Astorga as treasurer. That same year GYLDA began managing the Centro de Atención LGTBI+ de La Rioja in Logroño, providing social support, psychology, guidance and legal advice to LGTBI+ people and families, dependent on the Directorate General for Equality of the Government of La Rioja. Membership grew significantly after La Rioja Orgullo 2022, which included a demonstration with record attendance in the region and activities such as Conciertos por el Morrete, the seed of what later became Morrete Fest. In recent years GYLDA has continued to organise and participate in La Rioja Orgullo, cultural festivals and advocacy campaigns, while warning about rising attacks and hate speech. It maintains an active public presence through its website and social media under @GyldaRioja, and is federated in FELGTBI+.

• 2022

  Board renewed; GYLDA begins managing the Centro de Atención LGTBI+ de La Rioja.

• 2022

  La Rioja Orgullo draws record attendance; membership grows significantly.

• 2021

  Ruth García Pinar joins as vice-president (later president).

• 2016

  GYLDA LGTBI+ re-founded with former members and new incorporations; José Sáenz as president.

• 2012

  The original GYLDA association is dismantled; services transferred to other organisations.

• 1994

  First association of gays and lesbians founded in Logroño (around 1994–1995), mostly by women.

A regional LGTBIQ+ association in La Rioja providing care services, visibility and advocacy, federated in FELGTBI+.

• Centro de Atención LGTBI+ de La Rioja

  Social support, psychology, guidance and legal advice for LGTBI+ people and families, dependent on the Directorate General for Equality of the Government of La Rioja.

• La Rioja Orgullo

  Annual Pride events including a demonstration in Logroño.

• Morrete Fest

  Cultural festival that grew out of Conciertos por el Morrete.

• Volunteering programme

  Redesigned volunteering scheme with a survey for members, sympathisers, former volunteers and interested people.

1. 1GYLDA LGTBI+ | La Rioja - Españagylda.lgbt
2. 2Estudio sobre voluntariado - GYLDA LGTBI+ | La Rioja - Españagylda.lgbt
3. 3GYLDA LGTBI+ - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4GYLDA LGTBI+ - Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org