Roman Lopez-Mojarras came out as transgender during his freshman year at Coachella Valley High School. He said he was the only openly transgender person in the school.
But he found resources to help him through his transition in 2017. Lopez-Mojarras comes from a Mexican household where both his parents speak Spanish. The school provided him with a booklet written in Spanish for parents of transgender adolescents, which he described as a great resource. They were super supportive but they didn t know where to start, and now they (understand), Lopez-Mojarras said.
The resources were there because of Alianza Coachella Valley. The nonprofit conducted a 2016 survey of students in Desert Mirage and Coachella Valley high schools to ensure funds received by the Coachella Valley Unified School District aligned with student needs. The survey included questions about support systems, medical care and access, and a section for students who identify as LGBTQ.