A chat with San Diego bear power couple Alex & Alan

6th May 2026 Bryce Quartz

We interviewed Alex & Alan, a power couple from San Diego who’ve both won titles, host events, and volunteer in their community!

Meet Alex and Alan, the handsome power couple from San Diego. Alex recently won the title of San Diego Leather Bear 2026, and Alan is Mr. Bear San Diego 2026. They both bring Mexican representation to the title holding community with a combined passion for expression of leadership and combined values.

With different backgrounds in education and life experiences, they bring together the same heart for their community by showing up where it matters most.

Whether it’s volunteering for their local Proyecto Trans Latinas, their local LGBTQ+ Latinx nonprofit, or hosting events in San Diego that are safe spaces for everyone, Alex and Alan truly hold their titles well and live up to the values they stand for.

I had the pleasure of speaking with them both about their experiences in becoming title holders, their educational background, and so much more. Check it out below!

Alex (left) and Alan (right), photo by Scott at Smith Beard Media

Bryce Quartz: Hey there Alex and Alan, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me! How have you both been doing lately?

Alex & Alan: We’ve been doing really well! We’ve been busy, but in a very grounded and intentional way. Life has been a mix of work, community involvement, and title responsibilities, but we’ve learned how to move through all of it together rather than separately. Even in the busiest seasons, we’re intentional about staying connected, checking in with each other, and making space for rest, joy, and community.

Bryce: I’m excited to get to know the both of you better, so let’s jump right into it! How did you both originally meet and become a couple? I’d love to hear a little bit of both your perspectives on this, we love a good romance story!

Alex: We actually met on Growlr, the gay bear dating app, but it started very casually and completely platonic. We were just two people meeting up as friends with no expectations. On one of our early hangouts, Alan won me a stuffed animal from a claw machine and tried to give it to me as a sweet gesture, and I accidentally turned it down because I didn’t realize it was meant to be a “moment.” That story still gets brought up often!

Alan: I thought it was going to be a simple, cute gesture, but it definitely didn’t land the way I imagined (laughs). Still, what stood out to me was how natural everything felt with Alex. There was ease from the beginning. No pressure or performance, just a real and genuine connection.

Alex: From there, it never felt forced. It just slowly became something real that made sense for both of us.

Bryce: You both do so much in your communities and are quite a power couple if I do say so myself. Can you share with our readers a little about yourselves, such as where you’re from and your background?

Alex & Alan: We come from different backgrounds and professional paths, but we’re deeply aligned in purpose, values, and how we show up for others.

Alex: I work in public health, focusing on HIV services, sexual health, and community outreach. My work centers on prevention, education, and reducing stigma, especially within underserved communities. I’m also in a leadership role where I help build programs that improve access and connection to care.

Alan: I’m originally from Mexico, where I worked as a teacher and studied law. That foundation shaped how I understand people through education, structure, and justice. Today, my work is rooted in advocacy and service for underserved communities where I’m led by faith, inclusivity, and compassion.

Alex & Alan: What defines us isn’t that we’re the same, but that we’re aligned. We both lead with service, intention, and care but in different expressions of the same values. That alignment is what allows us to move as a true partnership.

Bryce: I’d like to congratulate you both on winning separate titles within your community. It’s really cool to see a couple represent together as titleholders in separate competitions! How did you both get into competing for titles within your community, and what was the journey like leading up to your respective wins?

Alex, photo by Scott at Smith Beard Media

Alex: For me, it was about stepping out of my shell. I wanted to challenge myself to be more visible, more confident, and more vocal about what I care about. The journey was fun, but also deeply intentional. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work, from building looks to writing speeches to pushing myself personally. It became a process of growth just as much as competition.

Alan: For me, a major motivation for running was representation. I wanted to ensure that Latin bears and bears of color were seen, included, and fully represented within our community. That visibility matters, and I wanted to use my platform to help create more space for voices that are often overlooked. The journey required dedication and consistency, but it also helped me grow into my voice and strengthen my sense of purpose.

Alex & Alan: It became less about titles and more about transformation individually and as a couple learning to grow in parallel while staying rooted in community and representation.

Bryce: Being a title holder is more than just a sash, it’s about representing the community and so much more. What does winning your respective titles mean to you personally and publicly?

Alex & Alan: For both of us, it’s deeply affirming. It reflects the effort, growth, and intention we’ve both invested in our own journeys.

Collectively, it represents responsibility. It’s not just recognition, it’s presence too. It’s about showing up consistently, being accessible, and using our platforms with care and purpose. The titles are symbolic, but the relationships, visibility, and community impact built through them are what truly matter.

Bryce: As a title holding power couple with different work backgrounds, you both advocate together and individually for different things based on your experiences. Based on those backgrounds, what do you both advocate for?

Alex: My advocacy focuses on connection, visibility, and celebration within our communities. I’m especially passionate about sexual health education and reducing stigma, and creating spaces where these conversations can exist openly without shame and instead with care.

Alan: I advocate for underserved communities through service, inclusion, and support. My approach is grounded in faith and compassion, and I focus on ensuring people feel seen, respected, and valued in every space they enter.

Alex & Alan: Our advocacy complements each other. We approach it differently, but always with shared intention to uplift, protect, and expand space for our communities.

Bryce: You both volunteer for Proyecto Trans Latinas, a San Diego-based nonprofit organization that promotes the empowerment, safety, dignity, and liberation of the LGBTQ+ Latinx community through mutual aid, comprehensive advocacy, and culturally affirming support. What has your experience been like volunteering for them and why is it important for all of us to volunteer for organizations like this in our own communities?

Alex & Alan: Volunteering with Proyecto Trans Latinas has been deeply meaningful for both of us. It’s an organization that centers dignity, safety, and empowerment for the LGBTQ+ Latinx community, and being part of that work feels both grounding and humbling.

What’s stayed with us most is how it extends beyond service. It feels like being welcomed into a larger chosen family. A space where people are not only supported, but genuinely seen, affirmed, and cared for in a way that is intentional and collective.

It reinforces something we both believe strongly: real impact happens through presence and consistency. Volunteering isn’t just about showing up, it’s about standing in solidarity and helping sustain spaces where people can truly thrive.

Bryce: This is one of my favorite questions that I love to ask literally every single person I interview: What are some of your favorite foods, dishes, and restaurants?

Alex & Alan: We’re definitely food people, and we’re pretty easy to make happy with a good meal!

Alex: My absolute favorite is pizza. It’s simple, it’s comforting, and it’s always reliable!

Alan: I love menudo, especially in traditional settings. It’s something that connects me to culture, comfort, and family.

Alex & Alan: Overall, we love all kinds of food, but Mexican food is definitely at the top of the list for both of us. Whether it’s tacos, carne asada, or discovering new local spots, food for us is about culture, connection, and shared experiences.

Bryce: Besides being an amazing and handsome power couple, what hobbies and interests do you both have outside of your work?

Alex & Alan: Outside of work, we balance each other in really complementary ways while also sharing a strong connection to community and culture.

Alex: I love crafting and taking on larger-than-life DIY projects, such as anything where I can build, design, or transform something from scratch. I also really enjoy getting out into the community, especially nightlife and music spaces where there’s energy, celebration, and connection.

Alan: I’m more drawn to reading and art. I enjoy quiet moments where I can reflect, explore ideas, or appreciate creativity in different forms.

Alex & Alan: We both also love being out in the community though, whether that’s nightlife, music, or cultural events. We enjoy those shared spaces of energy and chosen family, but we also value slowing down at home and recharging together. That balance keeps us grounded and connected.

Bryce: I think you both are wonderful human beings who clearly care about your community, which you prove through your advocacy, representation, and work. Thank you both for all that you have done and continue to do, and thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. Is there anything you’d like to leave our readers with today?

Alex & Alan: At the center of everything we do is community, representation, and chosen family.

Whether through work, advocacy, or visibility, our goal is to create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and supported exactly as they are.

We’ve learned that growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone, and that the most meaningful impact happens when you stay rooted in purpose and in people.

More than anything, we hope people remember to stay connected to themselves, to their communities, and to the chosen families that make them feel at home. That’s where real strength and real love lives!