The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center

Contents:

• ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER
• ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER
• THE LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENR COMMUNY CENTER (LGBT)
• ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER
• THE LGBT CENTER THAT CHANGED OUR LIV LIBERATNNEW YORK'S LGBT CENTER, 31 YEARS YOUNG, IS UNRGOG A MASSIVE RENOVATN. IT HAS CHANGED LIV, AND BEEN THE HOME OF THE MOST LANDSPE-CHANGG MPAIGNG GROUPS. WHY DO WE STILL NEED ?QUOMUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:28PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2014 5:45AM EST URTY LGBT CENTER NATNAL HISTORY ARCHIVE“IF WASN’T FOR THE CENTER, I WOULDN’T BE ALIVE TODAY.” THOM, WHO DID NOT WANT TO GIVE THE DAILY BEAST HIS SEND NAME, WAS DIAGNOSED WH HIV 1992, AND EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND HOW IMPORTANT NEW YORK’S LGBT CENTER WAS.IN 1995, THOM HAD ENLISTED THE CENTER’S FIRST ANNUAL CYCLE FOR THE CSE AIDS BIKE RI OM BOSTON TO NEW YORK. HIS HEALTH HAD BEE A NCERN WHILE TRAG, BUT BEE OF A 1-YEAR-WAG-PERD ON PRE-EXISTG NDNS WH HIS NEW EMPLOYER’S HEALTH SURANCE PLAN HE WAS UNABLE TO GET PROPER TREATMENT HE NEED.SO, HE TURNED TO THE CENTER’S COMMUNY HEALTH PROJECT (NOW CALLEN-LOR). IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ANIZATNS THE BUILDG, ALONG WH THE SERVIC AND ADVOCY FOR GLBT ELRS (SAGE).OVER THE PAST THREE S, NEW YORK’S LGBT CENTER HAS SLOWLY BEEN TRANSFORMG THE HEADQUARTERS THEY PURCHASED OM THE CY 1983, A FORMER MARIME TRA SCHOOL BUILT THE MID-1800S. THEY’VE REPLACED PIP, WIR AND WDOWS, AND EVEN ADD AN ELEVATOR. BUT THEY ARE ABOUT TO UNVEIL ONE OF THEIR BIGGT PROJECTS YET—A $9.2 LN OVERHL OF S ENTIRE FACILI, CREATG STATE OF THE ART PERFORMANCE SPAC, ADDG A FE AND THE BURE OF GENERAL SERVIC QUEER DIVISN’S BOOKSTORE TO MAKE THE SPACE A SOCIAL STATN.THE CENTER HAS HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR THOM, THE COMMUNY HEALTH PROJECT MA SURE HE RECEIVED THE PROPER TREATMENT HE NEED AND CLEARED HIM TO NTUE THE FUNDRAISG BIKE RI, WHICH HE STILL DO TODAY. AT THE TIME, THOM WASN’T UNRGOG TREATMENT DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE MEDITNS.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, HE VELOPED PNMOCYSTIS PNMONIA—A SER FECTN ASSOCIATED WH HIV AND AIDS. STILL WHOUT SURANCE, THE CENTER IMMEDIATELY NNECTED THOM WH THE RIGHT ROURC, MAKG SURE HE WAS GETTG THE BT TREATMENT POSSIBLE.“THE CENTER WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET ME TO THE HOSPAL AND GET ME THE NEW MEDITNS THAT WERE AVAILABLE,” THOM SAID. HE RETURNED OM THE BRK OF ATH, THOUGH HE’S NOT THE ONLY “LAZAS STORY” THE CENTER HAS SEEN, THOM SAID.IT WAS 1983, THE OPENG YEARS OF THE AIDS EPIMIC, WHEN THE LBIAN AND GAY COMMUNY SERVICE CENTER FIRST OPENED S DOORS MANHATTAN’S WT VILLAGE (BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR WAS ADD 2001). IT WAS THE FIRST OF S KD, NOT JT S TLE, BUT FOR BEG A BRICK-AND-MORTAR STUTN FOR THE LBIAN AND GAY MUNY.IT BEGAN OFFERG HEALTH UNSELG AND SOCIAL FACILI AT S WT 13TH STREET LOTN JT A SHORT WALK OM THE HISTORIC STONEWALL INN, WHERE RTS SPARKED THE MORN PHASE OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT 1969.THE CENTER’S BUILDG SERVED, AS STILL DO TODAY, AS A HOME-BASE AND ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR THOSE SEEKG HEALTH AND FORT DURG—BACK THEN—A TIME OF RAPID, AND MASSIVE, LOSS.BIS HIV AND AIDS, THIS WAS ALSO A TIME OF FAR LS ACCEPTANCE AND EQUALY, AND THE CENTER WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ULD E—WHETHER OUT OR CLOSETED—TO MEET THEIR PEERS AND GA A STRONGER SENSE OF MUNY.ACT UP (AIDS COALN TO UNLEASH POWER) WAS FAMOLY FOUND 1987 DURG THE CENTER’S FIRST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR CULTURAL SPEAKERS, FIRST TUDAYS (’S NOW SEND TUDAYS).LARRY KRAMER, THE RENOWNED ACTIVIST AND PLAYWRIGHT, WAS VED TO TALK AFTER A LAST MUTE NCELATN. IT WAS THEN THAT HE FAMOLY SPOKE OUT AGAST THE GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS (GMHC) WHICH HE HELPED -FOUND 1981.THE VERY NEXT DAY, ROBERT WOODWORTH, WHO IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF CAPAL PROJECTS, WAS FIGURG OUT A PERMANENT MEETG SPOT FOR WHAT WOULD BEE KNOWN AS ACT UP. THEY STILL MEET AT THE CENTER TODAY.“[IT’S] THE GRANDDADDY STORY OF HOW THGS GET BORN HERE,” HE ADD. “THE EMERGENCE OF GMHC THE BEGNG AND THE CENTER G ALONG A UPLE YEARS LATER BEGAN TO BUILD THE ASTCTURE THAT ALLOWED OTHER THGS TO HAPPEN.”GLAAD (GAYS AND LBIANS AGAST ANTI-DEFAMATN) AND QUEER NATN—AN EXTENSN OF ACT UP FOCED ON VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN—WERE ALSO FOUND AT THE CENTER.“IT FELT AS THOUGH LBIAN AND GAY MEN WERE REALLY TAKG CHARGE OF THEIR OWN URSE, THAT NOTHG WAS GOG TO BE HAND TO ANYONE,” ECTOR SIMPSON, THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “IF WE WERE GOG TO MATA A LEVEL OF VISIBILY AND OUR PROPER PLACE THE WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE TO BE ACTIVE AND VOL ABOUT . THE CENTER PROVID THE PROPER BACKDROP FOR A LLECTIVE TO TAKE PLACE.”THROUGH S 31-YEAR HISTORY, OVER 300 ANIZATNS AND PROGRAMS HAVE FORMED OR OPERATED OUT OF THE CENTER, TERG TO 6,000 VISORS A WEEK ON TOPICS SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, ADDICTN AND REVERY, MENTAL HEALTH, FAY SERVIC, YOUTH, AND A MYRIAD OF TERTS AND HOBBI. IT NOW HOSTS 13,000 CLUB AND EVENT BOOKGS ANNUALLY.“IT’S SUCH AN AMAZG CROSS-SECTN OF THE MUNY AT ANY GIVEN POT HISTORY—WHAT’S GOG ON HERE,” GLENNDA TTONE, THE CENTER’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.STATISTILLY, THE LGBT MUNY FAC A HIGHER RISK OF HIV/AIDS, SUBSTANCE ABE, SUICI AND, SPECIFILLY LGBT YOUTH, HOMELSNS.WH S VAST WEB OF ROURC AND SERVIC, CLUDG S SUPPORT GROUPS, THE CENTER HAS OFTEN HELPED SAVE THE PEOPLE LIV.RELATED: THE LGBT CENTER THAT CHANGED OUR LIV “WE REALLY ARE THE FIRST STOP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKG FOR RMATN,” TTONE SAID, LISTG OFF A WI RANGE OF SERVIC THEY ARE ABLE TO NNECT PEOPLE WH: HIV TTG, STARTG A FAY, IMMIGRANT ASYLUM, HEALTH SURANCE, AND SUPPORT GROUPS.BUT THE CENTER DON’T JT ACT AS A TRANSIENT PLACE FOR PEOPLE WH LEGAL OR HEALTH QUTNS. WHILE DO SERVICE THE MUNY, ALSO GIV THEM A PLACE TO LL HOME AND EXIST WHOUT ANY STIGMAS OM THE OUTSI WORLD.“ONE OF THE THGS THAT MAKE THE CENTER SPECIAL IS THAT IS A SAFE SPACE,” ORIE URAMI, THE DIRECTOR OF MEETG & CONFERENCE SERVIC TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.SHE TOLD A STORY OF A FELLOW EMPLOYEE WHO INTIFI AS A BUTCH DYKE (A LBIAN WHO TAK ON A MORE MASCULE INTY). WHILE MUTG HOME ON VAR EVENGS, SHE’S NOTICED THE MANY LOOKS THEY RECEIVE OM FELLOW PASSENGERS ON THE SUBWAY, ON SHE PERCEIV TO BE JUDGMENTAL.“SHE GO THROUGH THIS EVERYDAY OUTSI OF THE [THE CENTER’S] DOORS AND I FET THAT WHEN I AM HERE,” URAMI SAID. “BUT, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE ARE HERE, WE ARE SAFE OM THAT [JUDGMENT]. WE N CELEBRATE WHO WE ARE WHOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.”SIMPSON ALSO ENUNTERED SIAR SUATNS DURG HIS TENURE AT THE CENTER.“FOR MANY YEARS, THERE WOULD BE FOLKS WHO HAD NO OTHER PLACE TO CHANGE—PUT ON MALE OR FEMALE ATTIRE—OTHER THAN THE CENTER,” HE SAID OF VISORS WHO INTIFY AS TRANSGENR, WHO WOULD BE WAG OUTSI BEFORE THE CENTER HAD EVEN OPENED.“THEY ULD BE THE PERSON THEY TLY INTIFIED AS BEG AND SPEND AN HOUR OR HOWEVER LONG THERE. THEY HAD THAT PLACE WHERE THEY ULD JT BE THEMSELV.” AND THEY STILL DO.AMONG THE LONG LIST OF MUNY GROUPS WHO MEET AT THE CENTER, YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO FD AN EVENT FOR YOU—CLUBS FOR NUDISTS, MOTORCYCLE ENTHIASTS, KNTERS, GARNERS, GAY SHAMANS, OPERA LOVERS, AND ARTISTS. AND THERE ARE MANY MORE.ART IS SOMETHG THAT HAS BEEN A HIGHLIGHT AT THE CENTER SCE S FIRST GROUP SHOW—“THE CENTER SHOW”— 1989. FORTY-ONE ARTISTS WERE VED TO CREATE SE-SPECIFIC WORKS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDG AS A REACTN TO THE CURRENT SOCIAL AND POLIL CLIMATE.MOST FAMOLY, KEH HARG’S ONCE UPON A TIME PICTS A POT OF SEXUAL LIBERATN, BEFORE THE AIDS CRISIS SPROUTED SUCH FEAR OF THE ACT. THE BATHROOM MURAL, WHICH HAS BEEN IMPECBLY PRERVED ON THE SEND FLOOR OF THE CENTER, PICTS A LABYRTH OF MALE SEX ANS TERTWED AND EXPLODG ECSTASY.ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WHAT REMAS OF GEE WHMAN’S ADAM AND EVE, LEON GOLUB AND NANCY SPERO’S VAR FIGUR, ARE NOW SET WH THE KAPLAN ASSEMBLY HALL’S NEW SOUND-ENHANCG WALLS AND HIGHLIGHTED BY LED LIGHTS.WH THE NEWLY RENOVATED SPAC, THE CENTER WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER ACMODATE AN ARRAY OF CULTURAL EVENTS RANGG OM MUNY DANC AND PERFORMANC TO PRIVATE PARTI AND PUBLIC MEETGS.“THIS IS A RENOVATN THAT WE HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PRERVE THE HISTORY … AND THE UNIQUE FEELG OF THE THGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE OVER THE LAST 31 YEARS,” TTONE SAID. “BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO SIGNIFINTLY IMPROVE THE FUNCTNALY OF THE SPACE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE N DO WHAT WE NEED TO THE FUTURE.”BUT, 2014, WH MARRIAGE EQUALY A GIVEN NEW YORK, AND A TIME OF FAR GREATER ACCEPTANCE FOR LGBTS GENERALLY, WHY DO WE STILL NEED AN LGBT CENTER?“THERE ARE ALWAYS GOG TO BE NEW GENERATNS G OUT OF THE CLOSET—AND WHEN I SAY NEW GENERATNS, I DON’T JT MEAN YOUNG PEOPLE,” RICHARD BURNS, THE CENTER’S FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “PEOPLE STILL E OUT AT ALL AG AND THEY NEED A SAFE PLACE TO DO THAT, TO FD SUPPORT, PERHAPS TO FD UNCIL, TO FD IENDS. THEY NEED A WAY TO NNECT TO THE LGBT MUNY AND CULTURE, AND THE CENTER IS A SAFE, WONRFUL PLACE TO DO THAT.” QUOM
• GAY DANCER STABBED TO ATH AT NYC GAS STATN BY GROUP OF OFFEND MLIM MEN: WNS

ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER

In January 2016, the Commissn and The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr (LGBT) Communy Center lnched a shared effort to te New Yorkers about the history and rights of the transgenr muny.

Established 1983, the New York Cy Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center has grown to bee the largt LGBT multi-service anizatn on the East Coast and send largt LGBT muny center the world.

MoreEstablished 1983, the New York Cy Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center has grown to bee the largt LGBT multi-service anizatn on the East Coast and send largt LGBT muny center the world. They also serve as an cubator for grassroots groups that meet here, and is the birthplace of anizatns such as the AIDS activist group ACT UP and the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (GLAAD), the prcipal anizatn batg homophobia and stereotypg of gays the media. The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center (LGBT) is loted the Wt Village neighborhood of Manhattan.

ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER

Established 1983, the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center has grown to bee the largt LGBT multi-service anizatn on the East Coast and send largt LGBT muny center the world.

Ined, The Center was the the birthplace of anizatns such as the AIDS activist group ACT UP and the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (GLAAD), the prcipal anizatn batg homophobia and stereotypg of gays the media.

THE LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENR COMMUNY CENTER (LGBT)

The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center. The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center Facebook/ The Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center New York Cy’s Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Communy Center empowers people to lead healthy, succsful liv. The Audre Lor Project Photo urty of The Audre Lor Project The Audre Lor Project is a Brooklyn-based Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spir, Trans, and Genr nonnformg People of Color center for muny anizg.

Hetrick-Mart Instute Facebook/ Hetrick-Mart Instute – HMI The Hetrick-Mart Instute is a non-prof anizatn servg the needs of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, and qutng youth along wh their fai. Sce 1983, the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr (LGBT) Communy Center has served as a val support system for hundreds of thoands of people.

ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER

By the time the Lbian and Gay Communy Servic Center was tablished here 1983, the buildg had operated unr a number of different nam, the last beg the Food and Marime High School.

After rentg space here, the Center – sce renamed the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr (LGBT) Communy Center – bought the cy-owned buildg 1984. Some signifint anizatns clu the Metropolan Communy Church of New York, here om 1983 to 1994; Men of All Colors Together (MACT; origally Black and Whe Men Together); Gay and Lbian Youth; the Lbian Swchboard; Digny/New York, a Catholic gay and lbian anizatn; Asian Lbians of the East Coast (ALOEC); Harvey Milk High School; South Asian Lbian and Gay Associatn (SALGA); Salsa Soul Sisters; and Senr Actn a Gay Environment (SAGE; now Servic & Advocy for GLBT Elrs), which met here for over 20 years.

Other anizatns found at the Center were the Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (now known as GLAAD) 1985; Other Countri 1986, a llective of Black gay male wrers named honor of Jam Baldw‘s Another Country (the group was the succsor to Blackheart Collective); Las Buenas Amigas 1987, a Lata lbian group; Queer Natn 1990; and the Lbian Avengers 1992. The Coaln for Lbian and Gay Rights, a tenant, was the leadg muny anizatn to promote the gay rights bill, which was approved by the New York Cy Council 1986. NYC Health + Hospals is mted to empowerg lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer+ (LGBTQ+) New Yorkers to live their healthit liv possible.

THE LGBT CENTER THAT CHANGED OUR LIV LIBERATNNEW YORK'S LGBT CENTER, 31 YEARS YOUNG, IS UNRGOG A MASSIVE RENOVATN. IT HAS CHANGED LIV, AND BEEN THE HOME OF THE MOST LANDSPE-CHANGG MPAIGNG GROUPS. WHY DO WE STILL NEED ?QUOMUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:28PM EDT / PUBLISHED DEC. 22, 2014 5:45AM EST URTY LGBT CENTER NATNAL HISTORY ARCHIVE“IF WASN’T FOR THE CENTER, I WOULDN’T BE ALIVE TODAY.” THOM, WHO DID NOT WANT TO GIVE THE DAILY BEAST HIS SEND NAME, WAS DIAGNOSED WH HIV 1992, AND EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND HOW IMPORTANT NEW YORK’S LGBT CENTER WAS.IN 1995, THOM HAD ENLISTED THE CENTER’S FIRST ANNUAL CYCLE FOR THE CSE AIDS BIKE RI OM BOSTON TO NEW YORK. HIS HEALTH HAD BEE A NCERN WHILE TRAG, BUT BEE OF A 1-YEAR-WAG-PERD ON PRE-EXISTG NDNS WH HIS NEW EMPLOYER’S HEALTH SURANCE PLAN HE WAS UNABLE TO GET PROPER TREATMENT HE NEED.SO, HE TURNED TO THE CENTER’S COMMUNY HEALTH PROJECT (NOW CALLEN-LOR). IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ANIZATNS THE BUILDG, ALONG WH THE SERVIC AND ADVOCY FOR GLBT ELRS (SAGE).OVER THE PAST THREE S, NEW YORK’S LGBT CENTER HAS SLOWLY BEEN TRANSFORMG THE HEADQUARTERS THEY PURCHASED OM THE CY 1983, A FORMER MARIME TRA SCHOOL BUILT THE MID-1800S. THEY’VE REPLACED PIP, WIR AND WDOWS, AND EVEN ADD AN ELEVATOR. BUT THEY ARE ABOUT TO UNVEIL ONE OF THEIR BIGGT PROJECTS YET—A $9.2 LN OVERHL OF S ENTIRE FACILI, CREATG STATE OF THE ART PERFORMANCE SPAC, ADDG A FE AND THE BURE OF GENERAL SERVIC QUEER DIVISN’S BOOKSTORE TO MAKE THE SPACE A SOCIAL STATN.THE CENTER HAS HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR THOM, THE COMMUNY HEALTH PROJECT MA SURE HE RECEIVED THE PROPER TREATMENT HE NEED AND CLEARED HIM TO NTUE THE FUNDRAISG BIKE RI, WHICH HE STILL DO TODAY. AT THE TIME, THOM WASN’T UNRGOG TREATMENT DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE MEDITNS.THE FOLLOWG YEAR, HE VELOPED PNMOCYSTIS PNMONIA—A SER FECTN ASSOCIATED WH HIV AND AIDS. STILL WHOUT SURANCE, THE CENTER IMMEDIATELY NNECTED THOM WH THE RIGHT ROURC, MAKG SURE HE WAS GETTG THE BT TREATMENT POSSIBLE.“THE CENTER WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET ME TO THE HOSPAL AND GET ME THE NEW MEDITNS THAT WERE AVAILABLE,” THOM SAID. HE RETURNED OM THE BRK OF ATH, THOUGH HE’S NOT THE ONLY “LAZAS STORY” THE CENTER HAS SEEN, THOM SAID.IT WAS 1983, THE OPENG YEARS OF THE AIDS EPIMIC, WHEN THE LBIAN AND GAY COMMUNY SERVICE CENTER FIRST OPENED S DOORS MANHATTAN’S WT VILLAGE (BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR WAS ADD 2001). IT WAS THE FIRST OF S KD, NOT JT S TLE, BUT FOR BEG A BRICK-AND-MORTAR STUTN FOR THE LBIAN AND GAY MUNY.IT BEGAN OFFERG HEALTH UNSELG AND SOCIAL FACILI AT S WT 13TH STREET LOTN JT A SHORT WALK OM THE HISTORIC STONEWALL INN, WHERE RTS SPARKED THE MORN PHASE OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT 1969.THE CENTER’S BUILDG SERVED, AS STILL DO TODAY, AS A HOME-BASE AND ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR THOSE SEEKG HEALTH AND FORT DURG—BACK THEN—A TIME OF RAPID, AND MASSIVE, LOSS.BIS HIV AND AIDS, THIS WAS ALSO A TIME OF FAR LS ACCEPTANCE AND EQUALY, AND THE CENTER WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ULD E—WHETHER OUT OR CLOSETED—TO MEET THEIR PEERS AND GA A STRONGER SENSE OF MUNY.ACT UP (AIDS COALN TO UNLEASH POWER) WAS FAMOLY FOUND 1987 DURG THE CENTER’S FIRST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR CULTURAL SPEAKERS, FIRST TUDAYS (’S NOW SEND TUDAYS).LARRY KRAMER, THE RENOWNED ACTIVIST AND PLAYWRIGHT, WAS VED TO TALK AFTER A LAST MUTE NCELATN. IT WAS THEN THAT HE FAMOLY SPOKE OUT AGAST THE GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS (GMHC) WHICH HE HELPED -FOUND 1981.THE VERY NEXT DAY, ROBERT WOODWORTH, WHO IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF CAPAL PROJECTS, WAS FIGURG OUT A PERMANENT MEETG SPOT FOR WHAT WOULD BEE KNOWN AS ACT UP. THEY STILL MEET AT THE CENTER TODAY.“[IT’S] THE GRANDDADDY STORY OF HOW THGS GET BORN HERE,” HE ADD. “THE EMERGENCE OF GMHC THE BEGNG AND THE CENTER G ALONG A UPLE YEARS LATER BEGAN TO BUILD THE ASTCTURE THAT ALLOWED OTHER THGS TO HAPPEN.”GLAAD (GAYS AND LBIANS AGAST ANTI-DEFAMATN) AND QUEER NATN—AN EXTENSN OF ACT UP FOCED ON VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN—WERE ALSO FOUND AT THE CENTER.“IT FELT AS THOUGH LBIAN AND GAY MEN WERE REALLY TAKG CHARGE OF THEIR OWN URSE, THAT NOTHG WAS GOG TO BE HAND TO ANYONE,” ECTOR SIMPSON, THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “IF WE WERE GOG TO MATA A LEVEL OF VISIBILY AND OUR PROPER PLACE THE WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE TO BE ACTIVE AND VOL ABOUT . THE CENTER PROVID THE PROPER BACKDROP FOR A LLECTIVE TO TAKE PLACE.”THROUGH S 31-YEAR HISTORY, OVER 300 ANIZATNS AND PROGRAMS HAVE FORMED OR OPERATED OUT OF THE CENTER, TERG TO 6,000 VISORS A WEEK ON TOPICS SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, ADDICTN AND REVERY, MENTAL HEALTH, FAY SERVIC, YOUTH, AND A MYRIAD OF TERTS AND HOBBI. IT NOW HOSTS 13,000 CLUB AND EVENT BOOKGS ANNUALLY.“IT’S SUCH AN AMAZG CROSS-SECTN OF THE MUNY AT ANY GIVEN POT HISTORY—WHAT’S GOG ON HERE,” GLENNDA TTONE, THE CENTER’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.STATISTILLY, THE LGBT MUNY FAC A HIGHER RISK OF HIV/AIDS, SUBSTANCE ABE, SUICI AND, SPECIFILLY LGBT YOUTH, HOMELSNS.WH S VAST WEB OF ROURC AND SERVIC, CLUDG S SUPPORT GROUPS, THE CENTER HAS OFTEN HELPED SAVE THE PEOPLE LIV.RELATED: THE LGBT CENTER THAT CHANGED OUR LIV “WE REALLY ARE THE FIRST STOP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKG FOR RMATN,” TTONE SAID, LISTG OFF A WI RANGE OF SERVIC THEY ARE ABLE TO NNECT PEOPLE WH: HIV TTG, STARTG A FAY, IMMIGRANT ASYLUM, HEALTH SURANCE, AND SUPPORT GROUPS.BUT THE CENTER DON’T JT ACT AS A TRANSIENT PLACE FOR PEOPLE WH LEGAL OR HEALTH QUTNS. WHILE DO SERVICE THE MUNY, ALSO GIV THEM A PLACE TO LL HOME AND EXIST WHOUT ANY STIGMAS OM THE OUTSI WORLD.“ONE OF THE THGS THAT MAKE THE CENTER SPECIAL IS THAT IS A SAFE SPACE,” ORIE URAMI, THE DIRECTOR OF MEETG & CONFERENCE SERVIC TOLD THE DAILY BEAST.SHE TOLD A STORY OF A FELLOW EMPLOYEE WHO INTIFI AS A BUTCH DYKE (A LBIAN WHO TAK ON A MORE MASCULE INTY). WHILE MUTG HOME ON VAR EVENGS, SHE’S NOTICED THE MANY LOOKS THEY RECEIVE OM FELLOW PASSENGERS ON THE SUBWAY, ON SHE PERCEIV TO BE JUDGMENTAL.“SHE GO THROUGH THIS EVERYDAY OUTSI OF THE [THE CENTER’S] DOORS AND I FET THAT WHEN I AM HERE,” URAMI SAID. “BUT, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE ARE HERE, WE ARE SAFE OM THAT [JUDGMENT]. WE N CELEBRATE WHO WE ARE WHOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF.”SIMPSON ALSO ENUNTERED SIAR SUATNS DURG HIS TENURE AT THE CENTER.“FOR MANY YEARS, THERE WOULD BE FOLKS WHO HAD NO OTHER PLACE TO CHANGE—PUT ON MALE OR FEMALE ATTIRE—OTHER THAN THE CENTER,” HE SAID OF VISORS WHO INTIFY AS TRANSGENR, WHO WOULD BE WAG OUTSI BEFORE THE CENTER HAD EVEN OPENED.“THEY ULD BE THE PERSON THEY TLY INTIFIED AS BEG AND SPEND AN HOUR OR HOWEVER LONG THERE. THEY HAD THAT PLACE WHERE THEY ULD JT BE THEMSELV.” AND THEY STILL DO.AMONG THE LONG LIST OF MUNY GROUPS WHO MEET AT THE CENTER, YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO FD AN EVENT FOR YOU—CLUBS FOR NUDISTS, MOTORCYCLE ENTHIASTS, KNTERS, GARNERS, GAY SHAMANS, OPERA LOVERS, AND ARTISTS. AND THERE ARE MANY MORE.ART IS SOMETHG THAT HAS BEEN A HIGHLIGHT AT THE CENTER SCE S FIRST GROUP SHOW—“THE CENTER SHOW”— 1989. FORTY-ONE ARTISTS WERE VED TO CREATE SE-SPECIFIC WORKS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDG AS A REACTN TO THE CURRENT SOCIAL AND POLIL CLIMATE.MOST FAMOLY, KEH HARG’S ONCE UPON A TIME PICTS A POT OF SEXUAL LIBERATN, BEFORE THE AIDS CRISIS SPROUTED SUCH FEAR OF THE ACT. THE BATHROOM MURAL, WHICH HAS BEEN IMPECBLY PRERVED ON THE SEND FLOOR OF THE CENTER, PICTS A LABYRTH OF MALE SEX ANS TERTWED AND EXPLODG ECSTASY.ON THE FIRST FLOOR, WHAT REMAS OF GEE WHMAN’S ADAM AND EVE, LEON GOLUB AND NANCY SPERO’S VAR FIGUR, ARE NOW SET WH THE KAPLAN ASSEMBLY HALL’S NEW SOUND-ENHANCG WALLS AND HIGHLIGHTED BY LED LIGHTS.WH THE NEWLY RENOVATED SPAC, THE CENTER WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER ACMODATE AN ARRAY OF CULTURAL EVENTS RANGG OM MUNY DANC AND PERFORMANC TO PRIVATE PARTI AND PUBLIC MEETGS.“THIS IS A RENOVATN THAT WE HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PRERVE THE HISTORY … AND THE UNIQUE FEELG OF THE THGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE OVER THE LAST 31 YEARS,” TTONE SAID. “BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO SIGNIFINTLY IMPROVE THE FUNCTNALY OF THE SPACE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE N DO WHAT WE NEED TO THE FUTURE.”BUT, 2014, WH MARRIAGE EQUALY A GIVEN NEW YORK, AND A TIME OF FAR GREATER ACCEPTANCE FOR LGBTS GENERALLY, WHY DO WE STILL NEED AN LGBT CENTER?“THERE ARE ALWAYS GOG TO BE NEW GENERATNS G OUT OF THE CLOSET—AND WHEN I SAY NEW GENERATNS, I DON’T JT MEAN YOUNG PEOPLE,” RICHARD BURNS, THE CENTER’S FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “PEOPLE STILL E OUT AT ALL AG AND THEY NEED A SAFE PLACE TO DO THAT, TO FD SUPPORT, PERHAPS TO FD UNCIL, TO FD IENDS. THEY NEED A WAY TO NNECT TO THE LGBT MUNY AND CULTURE, AND THE CENTER IS A SAFE, WONRFUL PLACE TO DO THAT.” QUOM

Sce 1983, the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgenr Communy Center has served as a val support system for hundreds of thoands of people. For over a century, the Greenwich Village Hudson River wateront, cludg the Christopher Street Pier at Wt 10th Street, has been a statn for the LGBT muny that has evolved om a place for cisg and sex for gay men to an important safe haven for a margalized queer muny — mostly queer homels youths of lor.

While here, Hansberry lived parallel liv: one as the celebrated playwright of “A Rais the Sun, ” the first play by a black woman to appear on Broadway, and the other as a woman who privately explored her homosexualy through her wrg, relatnships and social circle. On April 21, 1966, a sip- was anized by members of the Mattache Society, one of the untry’s earlit gay rights anizatns, to challenge the State Liquor Authory’s discrimatory policy of revokg the licens of bars that served known or spected gay men and lbians. In that time, Lor was a prolific and fluential wrer, -found Kchen Table: Women of Color Prs and spoke at the 1979 Natnal March on Washgton for Lbian and Gay Rights.

He returned om the brk of ath, though he’s not the only “Lazas story” The Center has seen, Thom was 1983, the openg years of the AIDS epimic, when the Lbian and Gay Communy Service Center first opened s doors Manhattan’s Wt Village (Bisexual and Transgenr was add 2001).

GAY DANCER STABBED TO ATH AT NYC GAS STATN BY GROUP OF OFFEND MLIM MEN: WNS

It was the first of s kd, not jt s tle, but for beg a brick-and-mortar stutn for the lbian and gay began offerg health unselg and social facili at s Wt 13th Street lotn jt a short walk om the historic Stonewall Inn, where rts sparked the morn phase of the gay rights movement Center’s buildg served, as still do today, as a home-base and one-stop-shop for those seekg health and fort durg—back then—a time of rapid, and massive, loss. It was then that he famoly spoke out agast the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) which he helped -found very next day, Robert Woodworth, who is now the Director of Capal Projects, was figurg out a permanent meetg spot for what would bee known as ACT UP.