Eastern Sierras LGBTQ+ Rural Health
Empowering LGBTQ+ Healthcare
This project was created to learn about the general health care experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, two-spirit, intersex, and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQ+) people living in the Eastern Sierra. We also want to learn about the general health care experiences and needs of the health care workers providing services in the Eastern Sierra. We hope that this information can improve the capacity of affirming LGBTQ+ health care services to the people of the Eastern Sierra and provide providers with more tools to serve our community.
We conducted our surveys for LGBTQ+ community members living in the Eastern Sierra (in English and Spanish) and a survey for health care providers in the region starting the Summer 2025 through Winter 2026. In addition to our study team, this project was guided by a Community Advisory Board of local stakeholders.
To learn more, our final report can be download from here.
This project is funded by the LBTQ+ Health Equity Initiative of the California Department of Public Health and the UCLA LGBTQ+ Health Initiatives Fund.
Regional Resources
- Eastern Sierra Pride: Join Eastern Sierra Pride for local events and see you at PRIDE in June 2026!
- Mountain Queers: Social groups, outdoor adventures, and resources for LGBTQPIA2S+ people and allies in Mono County, CA
- PFLAG Eastern Sierra: Supporting 2SLGBTQIAP+ people and the people that love them.
- UCLA LGBTQ+ Champions: UCLA Health care providers available via telemedicine and in person for primary care, HIV treatment and prevention, Gender Affirming Care and more
- Trevor Project: Reach out to a counselor if you’re struggling, find answers and information, and get tools you need to help someone else
- Learn about HIV Prevention (PrEP/PEP) & STI Prevention (DoxyPEP)
Contact
If you have questions about the study, please contact us at [email protected].
LGBTQ+ Rural Health Team
Emery H. Chang, MD (he/him/they/them)
Principle Investigator
I first went to the Eastern Sierras in 2011 and immediately fell in love with the area. Since then, I have been a part time resident in Mammoth and have been connected to the LGBTQ+ community locally. As a physician specializing in LGBTQ+ and HIV primary care at UCLA, I'm now the lead physician in the Rural LGBTQ+ Health Project that will give insights into the health care needs of the LGBTQ+ people in the Eastern Sierras and also understand what the needs of our health care workers have in providing LGBTQ+ affirming care. My other work includes teaching at the David Geffen School of Medicine, working on LGBTQ+ infrastructure at UCLA Health and also experience in developing health care infrastructure in Rwanda. In my free time, I love skiing, hiking and traveling.
Nichole Legaspi (she/her/hers)
MD Candidate
I am an MD candidate at UCLA with a passion for health disparities work. Some of my most impactful work came from serving as PRIDE alliance president at DGSOM and developing a recurring talk on LGBTQ+ inclusion practices for healthcare providers in my previous role at UCSF. My other life passions include trying new foodie spots as well as cheffing up healthier versions of various dishes to fuel my active life of lifting weights.
Dani Heffernan, MA (she/her)
Project Coordinator
I’m a PhD candidate in Anthropology at UCLA. For the past two years, I coordinated medical students and faculty at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine as part of a curriculum focused on health needs of LGBTQ+ patients. Prior to graduate school, I worked in communications at several non-profit organizations.
