DAP Health has a long legacy of commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.
For more than 40 years, DAP Health has embraced a holistic, patient-centered approach to care that recognizes that being seen, heard, and affirmed is essential to both mental and physical health.
For LGBTQ+ people, those three simple words can mean the difference between isolation and connection, fear and safety, invisibility and dignity. “Being seen, heard, and affirmed isn’t a tagline — it’s health care,” says DAP Health Manager of Mission LaBianca McMillan. “When someone’s identity is respected, anxiety falls, trust grows, and people come earlier for care, stay engaged in treatment, and thrive. We want every LGBTQ+ person to know they belong and their health matters.”
This belief is woven into the fabric of DAP Health’s mission. Through medical services, social support, advocacy, and community partnerships, the nonprofit creates spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals not only receive care but also experience belonging and affirmation.
Sponsoring Pride, strengthening communities
For 2025 and 2026, DAP Health proudly deepened its commitment to LGBTQ+ visibility and well-being by supporting Pride celebrations throughout Southern California:
- Oceanside Pride by the Beach — Major Sponsor (June 7, 2025)
- Greater Palm Springs Pride — Rainbow Sponsor (November 6–9, 2025)
- Cathedral City LGBT+ Days — Platinum Sponsor (March 6–8, 2026)
Each of these partnerships highlights the vital role of representation and the ways Pride celebrations bolster health and wellness by fostering joy, connection, and resilience.
Oceanside Pride by the Beach
According to Pride Director Roxanne Deatherage of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, on whose campus DAP Health will soon establish a sexual wellness clinic and pharmacy, support from the agency was transformational. “Having DAP Health as our first-ever main event sponsor for Pride by the Beach 2025 was more than a win, it was a statement,” she says. “Their support helped us welcome 20,000-plus people to downtown Oceanside and expand our festival footprint. … In today’s political climate, where so many communities are struggling and under attack, this Pride wasn’t just a celebration, it was necessary, and DAP Health helped bring joy, connection, and a sense of belonging to those who needed it most.”
DAP Health CEO David Brinkman emphasizes why representation at events like Oceanside Pride is integral to health: “Representation saves lives. When LGBTQ+ people see themselves celebrated openly, without fear, it affirms their worth and reduces stigma,” he says. “At Oceanside Pride, we witnessed firsthand how joy, visibility, and community can nurture both mental and physical health. DAP Health is honored to stand alongside the North County LGBTQ Resource Center in making that possible.”
Greater Palm Springs Pride
As a longtime Rainbow Sponsor, DAP Health continues to uplift Greater Palm Springs Pride, one of the largest free Prides in the country. This enduring partnership reflects DAP Health’s deep roots in the Coachella Valley and its unwavering belief that Pride is not just a celebration, but part of a continuum of care, advocacy, and empowerment.
“Pride is a powerful reminder that being visible is part of being healthy,” says DAP Health Chief Marketing Officer Steven Henke. “When we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in Palm Springs, we also celebrate the dignity of every person DAP Health serves. Our sponsorships are matched by our year-round support of local LGBTQ+ media — like advertising in GED Magazine’s Guide to Pride and The Standard Palm Springs — because amplifying trusted community voices helps people feel seen, heard, and affirmed, and connects them to the care they deserve.”
Cathedral City LGBT+ Days
In 2026, DAP Health will serve as the Platinum Sponsor of Cathedral City LGBT+ Days, spotlighting the role of its Stonewall Medical Center, located in Cathedral City and serving the LGBTQ+ community. This partnership represents the fusion of health care and celebration, a way of making sure health equity is front and center at one of the Coachella Valley’s most cherished LGBTQ+ events.
Montage Events Marketing and Events Manager Michael Westman shares his perspective: “Cathedral City LGBT+ Days is about creating joy, visibility, and belonging,” he says. “Having DAP Health as our Platinum Sponsor elevates that mission. Their Stonewall Medical Center is a beacon of LGBTQ+ care in Cathedral City, and together, we’re showing that health and celebration go hand in hand.”
DAP Health plans to use its voice to amplify the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Its 2025 Pride theme, “OUT Loud for LGBTQ+ Health,” reflects a promise to champion access, equity, and affirmation everywhere its patients live, work, and celebrate. The nonprofit invites its supporters, team members, volunteers, and community partners to learn more about its plans, and to sign up to walk with its contingent at DAPHealth.org/Pride.
For DAP Health, Pride is more than an event. It’s an extension of its mission to make sure every LGBTQ+ person is seen, heard, and affirmed — because health equity begins with dignity and representation.
To learn more, or to register to join the DAP Health contingent at the Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade on Sunday, November 9 (10:00 a.m. kickoff), please click here.
