My Gay Starbucks | Where I Go | Zólo Public Square

Contents:

• THE ‘GAY’ STARBUCKS IS CLOSG JULY 31.
• GOODBYE BIG GAY STARBUCKS WT HOLLYWOOD – THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORI
• SAD, BUT TE – BIG GAY STARBUCKS WEHO IS CLOSG AFTER 27 YEARS
• MY GAY STARBUCKS
• LOVE: MEET THE SIGNER OF THE STARBUCKS PRI CUP PEOPLE ARE BUZZG ABOUTBY LDA DAHLSTROM • JUNE 02, 2019 • 5 M READSHARESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRI, BRENN MENDOZA CREATED A NEW 24-OUNCE TUMBLER THAT’S A TRIBUTE TO LOVE ALL FORMS, SOLIDARY AND THE JOY OF DANCG TO YOUR OWN BEAT. THE CROSS-STCHED TABLE IS ONLY A FEW CH ACROSS, BUT TO BRENN MENDOZA, REPRENTS ALL OF LIFE’S BIGGT DREAMS: TO LOVE AND BE LOVED. AGAST A WHE BACKGROUND, CREATED THREAD, ARE TWO MEN STANDG TOGETHER, ONE WH GLASS AND THE OTHER WEARG A RED STOCKG P, SEPARATED BY ONLY A HEART. “YOU + ME,” IS EMBROIRED BENEATH THE TWO FIGUR.  IT WAS PASTAKG CRAFTED BY MENDOZA’S LONGTIME LOVE, JOMAR TAGATAC (THE ONE THE RED STOCKG P), OVER MANY HOURS ONE WTER AND THEN GIVEN TO HIM AS A VALENTE’S PRENT. IT SS NEXT TO MENDOZA’S SK AT THE STARBUCKS SUPPORT CENTER, THE PANY’S SEATTLE HEADQUARTERS, REMDG HIM WHAT IS TO BE TLY SEEN, LOVED AND APPRECIATED FOR WHO HE IS. IT’S NOT SOMETHG EVERYONE GETS TO EXPERIENCE, HE KNOWS.MENDOZA, A CREATIVE MANAGER, IS THE SIGNER OF THIS YEAR’S STARBUCKS RSABLE PRI LD CUP, A 24-OUNCE TUMBLER THAT POPSUGAR LLS “A GEO RABOW DRKG VSEL.” WOVEN TO THE IRISCENT RABOW STRIP ON THE CUP IS A SIMPLE MSAGE: LOVE. (OR AMOUR, IF YOU BUY THE CANADIAN VERSN.)SBX06012019 PRI CUPS (1)DOWNLOAD“THE RABOW IS AN CREDIBLE SYMBOL, AND HOLDS SO MUCH POWER,” HE SAID. HE AIMED TO CREATE A CUP THAT WOULD BE CLASSIC ENOUGH TO STAND THE TT OF TIME, H LOOKG SO THAT WOULD FEEL OF THE MOMENT, BE CELEBRATORY, BUT ALSO ENPASS ALL THAT PRI MEANS. “MY HOPE IS THAT FOR THE MUNY, ALL FEEL CLUD – THAT EXTENDS TO NOT ONLY THE GAY MUNY BUT MY TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. IT’S FOR THEM AS WELL.”THIS YEAR’S PRI CELEBRATNS AROUND THE UNTRY HAVE SPECIAL SIGNIFINCE. IT’S THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST U.S. PRI RALLY, WHICH TOOK PLACE A MONTH AFTER THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY, WAS RAID BY POLICE ON JUNE 28, 1969. IN THOSE EARLY MORNG HOURS, A RT BEGAN WHEN GAY, LBIAN AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND DRAG QUEENS RISTED ARRT -- AND A MOVEMENT WAS BORN.MENDOZA, 37, WASN’T BORN UNTIL THE ‘80S, BUT GREW UP A TIME WHEN “LGBTQ HISTORY AND ACCEPTANCE WAS STILL EVOLVG.” AS A “CLOSETED KID,” HE RELLS WATCHG TV TALK SHOWS WERE GAY PEOPLE WERE PUT ON DISPLAY AND THAT “YOU’D ASK QUTNS OF BEE THEY WERE SO DIFFERENT AND ‘OTHER’. … YOU N SEE HOW DRASTILLY THGS HAVE CHANGED THE LAST 20 YEARS.”MARK MAHONEY, A STARBUCKS STORE MANAGER CHARLTON, W. VA., SE THE PRI CUP AS A SYMBOL OF THE PANY’S SOLIDARY WH THE LGBTQ MUNY, SOMETHG STARBUCKS HAS A HISTORY OF DOG DATG BACK S. IT’S SOMETHG THAT HAS HAD A PERSONAL IMPACT ON HIS OWN LIFE, HE SAID. NEWSSTARBUCKS PRI: A LONG LEGACY OF LGBTQ CLNREAD MORETODAY, HE LLS HIMSELF A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ MUNY – BUT SAYG THAT PUBLICLY WASN’T ALWAYS SOMETHG HE FELT FORTABLE WH. HE GREW UP SMALL TOWN WT VIRGIA AND AFTER HE ME OUT AND MOVED AWAY OM HIS FAY HOME, HE FELT VERY ALONE, HE SAID. ONE DAY, WHEN HE WAS A STARBUCKS BECKLEY, W. VA., THE STORE MANAGER VED HIM TO APPLY.“I FOUND A FAY THAT LTLE STORE,” MAHONEY SAID. “I FELT SAFE AND LOVED EVERY TIME I PUT ON THE GREEN APRON. I KNEW I WAS A SAFE PLACE THAT ENURAGED ME AND HELPED ME NAVIGATE HOW TO GROW TO ADULTHOOD, BEG PROUD OF WHO I AM. I N NFINTLY SAY THAT THIS SUPPORT AND THIS CULTURE SAVED MY LIFE MORE THAN ONCE.”‘LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE’THE LIMED-EDN CUP HAS BEEN LIGHTG UP SOCIAL MEDIA. “LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE AND I AM TOTALLY LOVE WH THE @STARBUCKS PRIDE TUMBLERS!”, WROTE ONE INSTAGRAM ER.  “LOVE THE @STARBUCKS #PRI TUMBLER! #STARBUCKS #STARBUCKSPRI #GAY #GAYPRI #LOVE #LOVE WS,” WROTE ANOTHER. MENDOZA SAID HE LOV THE IA THAT A CUP BE A SUBTLE SYMBOLIC NOD TO SOMEONE'S INTY OR THEIR SUPPORT OF A LOVED ONE. MENDOZA WAS 21 WHEN HE ME OUT – STARTG WH HIMSELF. BEFORE THAT, HE SAID, “THE IA I HUNG ON TO WAS THAT I JT HADN’T MET THE RIGHT WOMAN.” BUT WHEN HE WAS LLEGE, HE TOOK SOME TIME OFF TO BACKPACK AROUND SOUTHEAST ASIA AND TEACH ENGLISH. REMOVED OM EVERYONE HE KNEW BACK HOME, HE HAD THE TIME AND SPACE TO THK. ONE DAY, WHEN HE WAS STG ON THE BEACH THAILAND, HE REALIZED THE TTH. “I LERALLY SAID OUT LOUD, ‘I AM GAY,” HE REMEMBERED. “IT WAS CREDIBLY EEG.”WHILE HE’D GROWN UP A FAY WHERE HE’D ALWAYS FELT UNNDNAL LOVE, HIS ULTIMATE FEAR WAS THAT WOULD CHANGE WHEN HE ME OUT TO THEM. IT DIDN’T. “MY MOM SAID, ‘OH, I’VE KNOWN SCE YOU WERE 3,” HE SAID. “SHE IS THE MOST LOVG PERSON. SHE’S BEEN THE BIGGT SUPPORTER MY LIFE.”MENDOZA WAS BORN BURBANK, CALIF., AND GREW UP A HOME FULL OF LIFE AND MIC, HE SAID. HE HAD A VIVID IMAGATN AND SOME OF HIS EARLIT MEMORI ARE OF PUTTG TOGETHER A DANCE ROUTE, UALLY TO A MICHAEL JACKSON SONG, AND PERFORMG FOR HIS FAY. “I’D BLOW UP BALLOONS AND N THROUGH THE HOE. I WAS PROBABLY 4 OR 5,” HE SAID. HE SAYS HE DON’T NSIR HIMSELF AN ARTIST, BUT HE DID START MAKG ART WHEN HE WAS GRA SCHOOL. ONE OF HIS FAVORE MEMORI IS OF WHEN HE WAS 2ND GRA AND HIS DRAWG OF MICKEY MOE WAS PICKED BY DISNEY TO RATE A NSTCTN WALL AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDS. HE AND A CLASSMATE, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN CHOSEN, WERE VED TO DISNEYLAND TO PAT THEIR PICTUR ON THE WALL THEMSELV, AS WELL AS TAKE A TOUR AND GET A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY A MARCHG BAND. AS HE GOT OLR, AND DISVERED THAT HE ULD E PUTERS TO CREATE, HE VELOPED AN TERT SIGN THAT GREW. IN LLEGE, HE MAJORED SIGN, LIKG THAT HE ULD HELP CREATE THGS THAT SOLVED A NEED.HE WENT TO WORK FOR SEVERAL SIGN FIRMS, THE AMERIN CONSERVATORY THEATER AND TGHT AT THE AMY OF ART UNIVERSY SAN FRANCIS BEFORE JOG STARBUCKS’ CREATIVE TEAM ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO. DURG HIS TIME SO FAR WH STARBUCKS, HE’S SIGNED EVERYTHG OM THIS YEAR’S CUP TO ORIG RDS FOR RERVE FFEE TO THE PANY’S PRI T-SHIRTS FOR PARTNERS LAST YEAR TO AN ADVERTISG MPAIGN ASIA FEATURG THE INIC FRAPPUCCO SILHOUETTE CREATED OUT OF U AND MORE. ‘HEY GIRL’WHILE HE LOV THE PROCS OF CREATG AND HAVG SOMETHG TO SHOW AT THE END OF , WHAT FULFILLS HIM THE DAYS ISN’T BEG THE SPOTLIGHT BUT RATHER KNOWG THAT WHAT HE’S CREATED BRGS SOMEONE JOY. “IN MY NEXT LIFE I WANT TO E BACK AS A BACKUP DANCER. WHO I WANT TO BE IS NOT JA JACKSON, BUT THE PERSON BEHD HER,” SAID MENDOZA, WHO NFS HE STILL MAK UP DANCE ROUT AT HOME, JT AS HE DID AS A CHILD.SCE THE PRI CUP HAS GONE ON SALE, WHENEVER MENDOZA WALKS THROUGH A STARBUCKS AND SE THE CUP ON A SHELF, HE’LL GIVE A LTLE NOD, “KD OF LIKE ‘HEY GIRL,’” HE SAID WH A LGH. SBX06012019 PRI CUPS (1)DOWNLOADWHEN HE SET OUT TO SIGN , HE WAS FACED WH THE CHALLENGE OF “HOW DO YOU SIGN SOMETHG ABOUT PRI THAT DON’T FEEL CLICHé AND I’D FEEL PROUD HOLDG MY HAND?,” HE SAID. MAHONEY, THE STORE MANAGER, SAID HE LOV SEEG CTOMERS REACT TO THE PRI CUP. “IT IS SOMETHG AMAZG, TO WALK TO A STORE AND SEE RABOW LORS AND THE MSAGE OF LOVE ON S SHELV,” HE SAID. “IT’S EVEN MORE AMAZG TO SEE THE EXCEMENT OM OUR CTOMERS AND PARTNERS. PEOPLE E TOGETHER THIS THIRD PLACE. PEOPLE E TO OUR STOR TO MAKE CISNS, SHARE LGHTER, DRK FFEE AND SHARE LOVE.” THIS YEAR, MENDOZA AND HIS BOYIEND, WHO HE MET SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN TAGATAC PLIMENTED HIS RA BOOTS, WILL BE CELEBRATG PRI PALM SPRGS, ALONG WH IENDS – OUT, PROUD AND JOYFUL. IT’S SOMETHG SO SIMPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM TO THE PNEERS AT THE STONEWALL INN A HALF CENTURY AGO. THOUGH TIM HAVE CHANGED, AND MANY PLAC, ACCEPTANCE IS MORE OF A REALY THAN EVER, THE MSAGE OF THE CUP OF LOVE IS ALSO A SUBTLE, IF POWERFUL, LL TO ACTN TO REMD EVERYONE HOW FAR WE HAVE E AND HOW THE WORK ISN’T DONE. “IT'S SO EASY TODAY TO BE APATHETIC OR DISNNECTED OM THE STGGL PEOPLE GO THROUGH,” SAID MENDOZA. BUT, “WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT SHOWG UP MATTERS, VOTG MATTERS, BEG VOL AND MAKG YOUR VOICE HEARD MATTERS.”SHARE THIS ARTICLESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILREAD MORERWANDA ORIG EXPERIENCE 2023

THE ‘GAY’ STARBUCKS IS CLOSG JULY 31.

The beloved Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood, loted on the rner of Santa Moni Boulevard and Wtmount Drive, officially closed s doors forever at exactly 2:00 p. ” Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloATTENTION CUSTOMERS!!!

Big Gay WeHo Starbucks has left the buildg.

GOODBYE BIG GAY STARBUCKS WT HOLLYWOOD – THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORI

Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo Murillo Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloMemori take me back to a time when LGBTQ+ meant you were gay, and guys sat behd a glass wall to gawk at the men passg by spanx short shorts and spaghetti tank tops on their way to the gym (we lled bird watchg, IF you know what I mean). Men ma a spectacle on Santa Moni Boulevard while they sunned themselv, givg the Big Gay Starbucks more notoriety wh a spot that was dubbed “The WeHo Beach. ” Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloIt was a place for cisg before hookup apps like SCRUFF and Grdr ed our social sexual skills.

However, the Gay Bux wasn’t always about lookg at boys, or hookg up, or beg surround by iends for hours on end.

Many tim we’d embrace our ner nerd, and crack open a book and have what I’d ll Super Quiet Readg Time, which is tellg of how much we loved beg si the Gay are so many memori on that rner. Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloI also went THROUGH IT si that place.

SAD, BUT TE – BIG GAY STARBUCKS WEHO IS CLOSG AFTER 27 YEARS

Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloI’m not sure when my perceptn of that space changed and the energy didn’t seem the same. Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo Murillo Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo MurilloIt stopped beg my jam, but I always took fort knowg that the Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood would always be there for me, should I ever want to have a throwback to the good old days of now the place is gone.

Closg time at Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo Murillo Photo by Mike Pgel for WEHO TIMESGoodbye Big Gay Starbucks Coffee Wt Hollywood. (BP)–After nearly a of lyg low, Starbucks has reentered the homosexual rights movement a few ways that have put at least one nservative watchdog group on world’s most famo ffee shop cha has begun a program lled “The Way I See It, ” which is a llectn of thoughts, opns and exprsns provid by notable figur that now appear on Starbucks ffee cups, acrdg to the cha’s one particular quote — #43 — blatantly ph the homosexual agenda. It’s by Armistead Mp, who wrote “Tal of the Cy, ” a btseller-turned-PBS drama advotg the homosexual liftyle, and reads:“My only regret about beg gay is that I reprsed for so long.

”Concerned Women for Ameri, one of the natn’s leadg nservative public policy anizatns, is soundg the alarm about the cups after one of s employe received one when she purchased ffee om one of the Kleppger, assistant to the natnal field director at CWA, wrote a lumn about Starbucks’ volvement the homosexual movement which was posted by WorldNetDaily Aug. Kleppger, who had been a equent patron of Starbucks until recently vowg to stop, was put on notice about Starbucks earlier this summer when she received an e-mail om the California arm of CWA scribg an annual “gay pri” para San Diego. ”And at “gay pri” events Seattle, Wash., July, about 75 Starbucks employe wore promotnal T-shirts while followed by a van wh the pany logo a para, Kleppger reported, and employe passed out sampl of a new specialty ffee Knight, director of the anizatn’s Culture & Fay Instute, noted that Starbucks is not alone phg the homosexual agenda.

MY GAY STARBUCKS

“There are active homosexual groups most major rporatns now and they do a shake down, where they say, ‘If you don’t promote our events, you’re exhibg bigotry and hatred, and we’re gog to let everybody know that and you’ll feel bad about yourself and maybe will hurt your sal. “But Starbucks was promotg homosexualy about 10 years ago … and a lot of nservative groups got together and said, ‘Why are you dog this? “And I noticed that over the years Starbucks was not among the rporate logos at the bottom of the ads sponsorg gay pri events — until recently.

“And then they ask the Amerin Fay Associatn, ‘Don’t make a big al out of bee then we’ll have the gay pri activists on .

”Knight suggted a strategy for Christians — lettg Starbucks know they are not happy wh the pany’s promotn of the homosexual agenda. An employee nfirms that The Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood is closg due to safety and secury ncerns. Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo Murillo for WEHO TIMESOur source says bs has been steady at the WeHo lotn spe some shortage foot traffic after 24-Hour Fns Super Sport gym closed across the street this past November.

LOVE: MEET THE SIGNER OF THE STARBUCKS PRI CUP PEOPLE ARE BUZZG ABOUTBY LDA DAHLSTROM • JUNE 02, 2019 • 5 M READSHARESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRI, BRENN MENDOZA CREATED A NEW 24-OUNCE TUMBLER THAT’S A TRIBUTE TO LOVE ALL FORMS, SOLIDARY AND THE JOY OF DANCG TO YOUR OWN BEAT. THE CROSS-STCHED TABLE IS ONLY A FEW CH ACROSS, BUT TO BRENN MENDOZA, REPRENTS ALL OF LIFE’S BIGGT DREAMS: TO LOVE AND BE LOVED. AGAST A WHE BACKGROUND, CREATED THREAD, ARE TWO MEN STANDG TOGETHER, ONE WH GLASS AND THE OTHER WEARG A RED STOCKG P, SEPARATED BY ONLY A HEART. “YOU + ME,” IS EMBROIRED BENEATH THE TWO FIGUR.  IT WAS PASTAKG CRAFTED BY MENDOZA’S LONGTIME LOVE, JOMAR TAGATAC (THE ONE THE RED STOCKG P), OVER MANY HOURS ONE WTER AND THEN GIVEN TO HIM AS A VALENTE’S PRENT. IT SS NEXT TO MENDOZA’S SK AT THE STARBUCKS SUPPORT CENTER, THE PANY’S SEATTLE HEADQUARTERS, REMDG HIM WHAT IS TO BE TLY SEEN, LOVED AND APPRECIATED FOR WHO HE IS. IT’S NOT SOMETHG EVERYONE GETS TO EXPERIENCE, HE KNOWS.MENDOZA, A CREATIVE MANAGER, IS THE SIGNER OF THIS YEAR’S STARBUCKS RSABLE PRI LD CUP, A 24-OUNCE TUMBLER THAT POPSUGAR LLS “A GEO RABOW DRKG VSEL.” WOVEN TO THE IRISCENT RABOW STRIP ON THE CUP IS A SIMPLE MSAGE: LOVE. (OR AMOUR, IF YOU BUY THE CANADIAN VERSN.)SBX06012019 PRI CUPS (1)DOWNLOAD“THE RABOW IS AN CREDIBLE SYMBOL, AND HOLDS SO MUCH POWER,” HE SAID. HE AIMED TO CREATE A CUP THAT WOULD BE CLASSIC ENOUGH TO STAND THE TT OF TIME, H LOOKG SO THAT WOULD FEEL OF THE MOMENT, BE CELEBRATORY, BUT ALSO ENPASS ALL THAT PRI MEANS. “MY HOPE IS THAT FOR THE MUNY, ALL FEEL CLUD – THAT EXTENDS TO NOT ONLY THE GAY MUNY BUT MY TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. IT’S FOR THEM AS WELL.”THIS YEAR’S PRI CELEBRATNS AROUND THE UNTRY HAVE SPECIAL SIGNIFINCE. IT’S THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST U.S. PRI RALLY, WHICH TOOK PLACE A MONTH AFTER THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY, WAS RAID BY POLICE ON JUNE 28, 1969. IN THOSE EARLY MORNG HOURS, A RT BEGAN WHEN GAY, LBIAN AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE AND DRAG QUEENS RISTED ARRT -- AND A MOVEMENT WAS BORN.MENDOZA, 37, WASN’T BORN UNTIL THE ‘80S, BUT GREW UP A TIME WHEN “LGBTQ HISTORY AND ACCEPTANCE WAS STILL EVOLVG.” AS A “CLOSETED KID,” HE RELLS WATCHG TV TALK SHOWS WERE GAY PEOPLE WERE PUT ON DISPLAY AND THAT “YOU’D ASK QUTNS OF BEE THEY WERE SO DIFFERENT AND ‘OTHER’. … YOU N SEE HOW DRASTILLY THGS HAVE CHANGED THE LAST 20 YEARS.”MARK MAHONEY, A STARBUCKS STORE MANAGER CHARLTON, W. VA., SE THE PRI CUP AS A SYMBOL OF THE PANY’S SOLIDARY WH THE LGBTQ MUNY, SOMETHG STARBUCKS HAS A HISTORY OF DOG DATG BACK S. IT’S SOMETHG THAT HAS HAD A PERSONAL IMPACT ON HIS OWN LIFE, HE SAID. NEWSSTARBUCKS PRI: A LONG LEGACY OF LGBTQ CLNREAD MORETODAY, HE LLS HIMSELF A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ MUNY – BUT SAYG THAT PUBLICLY WASN’T ALWAYS SOMETHG HE FELT FORTABLE WH. HE GREW UP SMALL TOWN WT VIRGIA AND AFTER HE ME OUT AND MOVED AWAY OM HIS FAY HOME, HE FELT VERY ALONE, HE SAID. ONE DAY, WHEN HE WAS A STARBUCKS BECKLEY, W. VA., THE STORE MANAGER VED HIM TO APPLY.“I FOUND A FAY THAT LTLE STORE,” MAHONEY SAID. “I FELT SAFE AND LOVED EVERY TIME I PUT ON THE GREEN APRON. I KNEW I WAS A SAFE PLACE THAT ENURAGED ME AND HELPED ME NAVIGATE HOW TO GROW TO ADULTHOOD, BEG PROUD OF WHO I AM. I N NFINTLY SAY THAT THIS SUPPORT AND THIS CULTURE SAVED MY LIFE MORE THAN ONCE.”‘LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE’THE LIMED-EDN CUP HAS BEEN LIGHTG UP SOCIAL MEDIA. “LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE AND I AM TOTALLY LOVE WH THE @STARBUCKS PRIDE TUMBLERS!”, WROTE ONE INSTAGRAM ER.  “LOVE THE @STARBUCKS #PRI TUMBLER! #STARBUCKS #STARBUCKSPRI #GAY #GAYPRI #LOVE #LOVE WS,” WROTE ANOTHER. MENDOZA SAID HE LOV THE IA THAT A CUP BE A SUBTLE SYMBOLIC NOD TO SOMEONE'S INTY OR THEIR SUPPORT OF A LOVED ONE. MENDOZA WAS 21 WHEN HE ME OUT – STARTG WH HIMSELF. BEFORE THAT, HE SAID, “THE IA I HUNG ON TO WAS THAT I JT HADN’T MET THE RIGHT WOMAN.” BUT WHEN HE WAS LLEGE, HE TOOK SOME TIME OFF TO BACKPACK AROUND SOUTHEAST ASIA AND TEACH ENGLISH. REMOVED OM EVERYONE HE KNEW BACK HOME, HE HAD THE TIME AND SPACE TO THK. ONE DAY, WHEN HE WAS STG ON THE BEACH THAILAND, HE REALIZED THE TTH. “I LERALLY SAID OUT LOUD, ‘I AM GAY,” HE REMEMBERED. “IT WAS CREDIBLY EEG.”WHILE HE’D GROWN UP A FAY WHERE HE’D ALWAYS FELT UNNDNAL LOVE, HIS ULTIMATE FEAR WAS THAT WOULD CHANGE WHEN HE ME OUT TO THEM. IT DIDN’T. “MY MOM SAID, ‘OH, I’VE KNOWN SCE YOU WERE 3,” HE SAID. “SHE IS THE MOST LOVG PERSON. SHE’S BEEN THE BIGGT SUPPORTER MY LIFE.”MENDOZA WAS BORN BURBANK, CALIF., AND GREW UP A HOME FULL OF LIFE AND MIC, HE SAID. HE HAD A VIVID IMAGATN AND SOME OF HIS EARLIT MEMORI ARE OF PUTTG TOGETHER A DANCE ROUTE, UALLY TO A MICHAEL JACKSON SONG, AND PERFORMG FOR HIS FAY. “I’D BLOW UP BALLOONS AND N THROUGH THE HOE. I WAS PROBABLY 4 OR 5,” HE SAID. HE SAYS HE DON’T NSIR HIMSELF AN ARTIST, BUT HE DID START MAKG ART WHEN HE WAS GRA SCHOOL. ONE OF HIS FAVORE MEMORI IS OF WHEN HE WAS 2ND GRA AND HIS DRAWG OF MICKEY MOE WAS PICKED BY DISNEY TO RATE A NSTCTN WALL AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDS. HE AND A CLASSMATE, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN CHOSEN, WERE VED TO DISNEYLAND TO PAT THEIR PICTUR ON THE WALL THEMSELV, AS WELL AS TAKE A TOUR AND GET A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY A MARCHG BAND. AS HE GOT OLR, AND DISVERED THAT HE ULD E PUTERS TO CREATE, HE VELOPED AN TERT SIGN THAT GREW. IN LLEGE, HE MAJORED SIGN, LIKG THAT HE ULD HELP CREATE THGS THAT SOLVED A NEED.HE WENT TO WORK FOR SEVERAL SIGN FIRMS, THE AMERIN CONSERVATORY THEATER AND TGHT AT THE AMY OF ART UNIVERSY SAN FRANCIS BEFORE JOG STARBUCKS’ CREATIVE TEAM ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO. DURG HIS TIME SO FAR WH STARBUCKS, HE’S SIGNED EVERYTHG OM THIS YEAR’S CUP TO ORIG RDS FOR RERVE FFEE TO THE PANY’S PRI T-SHIRTS FOR PARTNERS LAST YEAR TO AN ADVERTISG MPAIGN ASIA FEATURG THE INIC FRAPPUCCO SILHOUETTE CREATED OUT OF U AND MORE. ‘HEY GIRL’WHILE HE LOV THE PROCS OF CREATG AND HAVG SOMETHG TO SHOW AT THE END OF , WHAT FULFILLS HIM THE DAYS ISN’T BEG THE SPOTLIGHT BUT RATHER KNOWG THAT WHAT HE’S CREATED BRGS SOMEONE JOY. “IN MY NEXT LIFE I WANT TO E BACK AS A BACKUP DANCER. WHO I WANT TO BE IS NOT JA JACKSON, BUT THE PERSON BEHD HER,” SAID MENDOZA, WHO NFS HE STILL MAK UP DANCE ROUT AT HOME, JT AS HE DID AS A CHILD.SCE THE PRI CUP HAS GONE ON SALE, WHENEVER MENDOZA WALKS THROUGH A STARBUCKS AND SE THE CUP ON A SHELF, HE’LL GIVE A LTLE NOD, “KD OF LIKE ‘HEY GIRL,’” HE SAID WH A LGH. SBX06012019 PRI CUPS (1)DOWNLOADWHEN HE SET OUT TO SIGN , HE WAS FACED WH THE CHALLENGE OF “HOW DO YOU SIGN SOMETHG ABOUT PRI THAT DON’T FEEL CLICHé AND I’D FEEL PROUD HOLDG MY HAND?,” HE SAID. MAHONEY, THE STORE MANAGER, SAID HE LOV SEEG CTOMERS REACT TO THE PRI CUP. “IT IS SOMETHG AMAZG, TO WALK TO A STORE AND SEE RABOW LORS AND THE MSAGE OF LOVE ON S SHELV,” HE SAID. “IT’S EVEN MORE AMAZG TO SEE THE EXCEMENT OM OUR CTOMERS AND PARTNERS. PEOPLE E TOGETHER THIS THIRD PLACE. PEOPLE E TO OUR STOR TO MAKE CISNS, SHARE LGHTER, DRK FFEE AND SHARE LOVE.” THIS YEAR, MENDOZA AND HIS BOYIEND, WHO HE MET SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN TAGATAC PLIMENTED HIS RA BOOTS, WILL BE CELEBRATG PRI PALM SPRGS, ALONG WH IENDS – OUT, PROUD AND JOYFUL. IT’S SOMETHG SO SIMPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE SEEMED AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM TO THE PNEERS AT THE STONEWALL INN A HALF CENTURY AGO. THOUGH TIM HAVE CHANGED, AND MANY PLAC, ACCEPTANCE IS MORE OF A REALY THAN EVER, THE MSAGE OF THE CUP OF LOVE IS ALSO A SUBTLE, IF POWERFUL, LL TO ACTN TO REMD EVERYONE HOW FAR WE HAVE E AND HOW THE WORK ISN’T DONE. “IT'S SO EASY TODAY TO BE APATHETIC OR DISNNECTED OM THE STGGL PEOPLE GO THROUGH,” SAID MENDOZA. BUT, “WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT SHOWG UP MATTERS, VOTG MATTERS, BEG VOL AND MAKG YOUR VOICE HEARD MATTERS.”SHARE THIS ARTICLESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILREAD MORERWANDA ORIG EXPERIENCE 2023

Big Gay Starbucks Wt Hollywood – Photo by Plo Murillo for WEHO TIMES“There is a higher crime rate Wt Hollywood right now, ” said the barista.