Facebook
This Wednesday, I decided to take a little adventure to my local LGBT community center. I’ll admit that I was a little nervous to be entering a place where if anyone saw me enter they would immediately know who I was but that didn’t stop me at all. The people I met there were fantastic and very open to meeting new people and starting new friendships.
The Center (the name of the LGBT community center) offers many services for LGBT people in the community including but not limited to the youth program that meets once a week, counseling, a “CyberCenter” so that online resources can be available to visitors, hate crime victim support, confidential HIV testing, support programs for Spanish speakers, and transgender resources.
From their website:
THE VERY BEGINNING
Having its start in a private home in Costa Mesa in 1971, The Center Orange County was established as a volunteer organization and incorporated in 1975 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community-based agency. In 1994, The Center Orange County joined forces with gay & lesbian centers around the nation and became a member of the National Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers. The Center Orange County is one of the oldest gay & lesbian centers in the United States, and serves thousands of clients annually. We work to promote sensitivity and understanding within the community, and we help people reach their human potential through the provision of life affirming and life enriching services.
(Above: A calender of events in July hosted by The Center. Click to view original)
I’m so glad that I was able to find a place in my own city and near where I lived. The youth program that I attended was an hour long gathering of a group of about fifteen people who were either my age or a little older. They were all already acquainted with each other and were for the most part lesbians. Nevertheless, they were all very open and comfortable about talking about whatever topic was discussed, getting to know me and everyone else, and they were very welcoming of straight people who also wanted to join (from my recollection there was one ally there). There was no room at all for shyness or hesitation. The Center has an inviting atmosphere and the staff is very open to ideas, leisure conversation, and passing out condoms and brochures to whomever needs them. I hope to go there every week and more often to get to know the different programs that they offer.
So here’s a question to leave you off with: I found mine, where’s your center?
If you need help finding a center nearest to you try checking out the following link:
LGBTCenters.org
No Comments.
[Add New Comment]