The Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance (UGLA) was founded in 1983 as the Uptown Gay Alliance (UGA) soon after the murder of Robert (Bobby) Brown, a 24 year-old gay man who was robbed, assaulted and shot after leaving The Bon Mot, a gay bar in Northeast Los Angeles located on Avenue 41 and Figueroa. It was the second such murder within two years and no suspects were brought to trial after the lack of a serious investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). In a meeting led by Gus DiClario, realtor and owner of Uptown Properties, UGA was formed and in 1985 became UGLA.

The organization still serves the Northeastern Los Angeles LGBT community as a philanthropic and educational non-profit, adhering to its mission as a community network source for gays and lesbians, and an educational service to the public at large.

As a community leader, UGLA has led a number of activities and instilled a sense of neighborhood in the region. In 1980 UGLA members raised money to help those fighting HIV during the AIDS epidemic and in 1989 began its support of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. UGLA began its most well-known fundraiser called Uptown Cabaret in 1990, partnered with Caltrans Adopt-A-Highway program in 1993, and began its Matching Funds charitable program in 1996. In 2001 the organization marched in the Northeast Holiday Program for the first time, and in 2008 it officiated five same-sex marriage ceremonies and raised funds against Proposition 8.