CLEVELAND — While Pride Month may be coming to an end, the nonprofit Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland aims to empower the LGBTQ Community in Northeast Ohio year-round.
Founded by Arthur G. MacDonald, Michael Madigan and Ethan A. Ericksen in 1975, it is one of the oldest LGBT community organizations in the country. At the time, it was the first of its kind in Ohio.
E Wayne Miller and Mike Andrews participate in one of the center's programs -- Rainbow Pioneers -- which is for LGBTQ+ individuals ages 50 and up.
“There are some people who come to the Rainbow Pioneers that this is their social outlet. This is it, you know, some of them don’t have family,” said Miller.
Other resources offered include community support groups and medical care. The center also hosts a number of events, including the annual Pride in the CLE. They additionally help facilitate LGBTQ+ research in Northeast Ohio.
Gil Kudrin said the center’s judgment-free medical services are an important resource for community members to utilize.
“When there’s testing here for STIs, there’s no discrimination at the door. Nobody asks you if you’re part of the LGBT community,” said Kudrin. “We welcome everybody and we provide services to everybody who needs services and so, I think that’s really important for people to know.”
Above all else, the center strives to provide a welcoming, safe space that brings the community together. It’s a hallmark Andrews said is representative of his experiences in Cleveland.
“The center is an amazing resource. The community on the whole is accepting and we really appreciate that,” said Andrews. “When we travel even just outside this region, you can see that there are some negative things happening -- some negativity towards people like us and that’s just really disheartening, so we’re just so lucky to be in this community.”
More information about the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland can be found HERE.