Beyond Borders: Supporting An Oasis of LGBTQ2+ Immigrants In The Central Valley

Please join us for this upcoming event co-sponsored with the Sociology Club! All are welcome! 🌈⚖️✊

Beyond Borders: Supporting an Oasis for LGBTQ+ Immigrants in the Central Valley

Friday, April 17, 2026 | 3pm to 4:30pm | LIB 3125

The Central Valley has long been a place of refuge for LGBTQ+ individuals, including those fleeing dangerous conditions abroad. Adam Ryan Chang, Executive Director of Oasis Legal Services, will explore how the U.S. immigration and asylum system shapes the experiences of LGBTQ+ immigrants, with particular attention to safety, identity, and belonging in the region. He will share practical strategies for building affirming spaces, supporting individuals beyond crisis, and engaging in meaningful, community-centered advocacy.

Speaker: Adam Ryan Chang is Executive Director of Oasis Legal Services, where he leads a multi-site nonprofit providing free legal representation and social services to LGBTQ+ immigrants and asylum seekers. He has guided the organization’s growth while advancing efforts to eliminate barriers to care. Adam brings expertise in immigration advocacy, philanthropy, and coalition-building, and advises funders and community leaders on equitable practices. A queer, second-generation Asian American living with HIV, he brings both professional and lived experience to his leadership.