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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE Pride Guide 2005
Rockin' in the Streets
Cleveland Pride Weekend
FRIDAY JUNE 17
OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL
SISTER FUNK SUPER DUPER
Robin Stone Gurrlesque Burning Sage Swamp Boogie Rachel Shortt
Alexis Antes hosted by Dana Austin
$6 ONLINE ADVANCE $10 AT GATE
6pm
www.RockingInTheStreets.com
BOUNCE
2814 DETROIT AVE CLEVELANDCOCKTAILS.COM
H
BACARIX
ABSOLUT
HPNOTIQ
Ernie Cahoon
@ OUTS
ABETICS
Ohio's first lesbian-gay center began 30 years ago
by Tim Marshall
Cleveland—All things begin with a good
idea.
In 1975, a group of community members saw the need for Cleveland's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to gather, to educate and to mobilize.
Thirty years later, the Cleveland LesbianGay Center has become a leader among institutions of its kind across the country and the hub of Northeastern Ohio's LGBT Community.
This community grows more every day. Take a look at some major accomplishments over the past 30 years to find out why "it all starts at the center."
1975
The first gay resource organization is founded in Cleveland. Ethan Ericsen, Michael Madigan, Arthur MacDonald and others start the Gay Education and Awareness Resources Foundation. John Nosek and Leon Stevens begin publishing a monthly newspaper, High Gear.
1976
The GEAR Foundation establishes a telephone hotline for social service and community referrals, in
a second-floor office on West 25th St. near Clark Ave.
1977
cide of Cleveland teenager Robbie Kirkland. SSAFE addresses teachers and administrators to ensure the safety of LGBT students. 1998
The center joins other national LGBT community centers to encourage LGBT people to vote in elections with its Promote the Vote program.
1999
The center serves as the statewide coordinating agency for the Equality Begins at Home campaign in Ohio.
A couples registry is created to celebrate area LGBT couples and to collect data on numbers of LGBT relationships.
GEAR COMMUNITY CENTER
GEAR Foundation officers lead the 1981 annual meeting in the center's Tremont location at West 14th and Auburn Ave. From left, they are Melinda McGeorge, John Lehner, Earl Korb and Pat Baskin.
The foundation opens Ohio's first lesbiangay community center in May on the third floor of Coventryard, at Euclid Heights and Coventry in Cleveland Hts. The next winter, the building is gutted by an electrical fire. Over the following decade, the center moves to locations downtown, in Tremont and Ohio City.
1978
GEAR is formally recognized as a nonprofit organization, and receives tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.
1987
The organization moves to a new location at West 29th St. and Detroit Ave. in Ohio City.
1988
The GEAR Foundation changes its name to the Lesbian/Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland.
The Living Room, a drop-in center for HIV-positive men, opens. This is the first center of its kind in the Midwest.
1989
Presence and Respect for Youth in Sexual Minority, a youth support and empowerment program, is initiated.
1990
In collaboration with the Western Reserve Historical Society, the center establishes the Gay and Lesbian Archives, later adding the Oral History Project.
1991
The Mary Ann Finegan Program is created to address violence. The center begins collecting information on incidences of anti-gay violence in greater Cleveland.
Center staff begins training area law enforcement agencies on LGBT issues.
1993
The Speakers Bureau is created to inform and educate the general public about the Center and LGBT issues.
1995
The center begins Queer U, an LGBT forum for area college students. Queer U was repeated in 1998 and 1999.
1997
The center initiates the Safe Schools Are for Everyone program in collaboration with P-FLAG and GLSEN in response to the sui-
The center establishes the PRYSM Families Project to work with families of PRYSM youth program members.
The center is awarded the Human Rights Campaign's Equality Award for outstanding service to the LGBT community in Greater Cleveland.
2000
The center moves to its present location in Gordon Square Arcade, doubling space for programming to better serve the community. The number of people coming to the center increases from an average of 250 per month to nearly 600.
The center adds to its efforts to assist LGBT survivors of domestic violence by conducting community and provider outreach. The number of people seeking assistance doubled 1999's figures.
The Health Outreach Program is initiated with an extensive needs assessment, supported by the Mt. Sinai Health Foundation. Later, the program conducts breast health outreach to the lesbian and bisexual women's community.
SSAFE presents to over 2,100 people in 66 different workshop settings, more than doubling the outreach of previous 21⁄2 years combined.
2002
The center expands HIV outreach for LGBT youth.
2003
The Aubrey Wertheim Institute and Senior Drop-In Center are established. The Institute is the center's tribute to Wertheim and his years of service to the organization, and to his family.
2004
Out for Justice is established to repeal antigay legislation and create pro-LGBT measures. Wild Plum Productions joins the center programming lineup. The monthly number of visitors averages nearly 1200.
Reviewing these milestones renews the center staff as we prepare for another challenging and exciting year. Please join us, as a donor, volunteer and guest. Visit the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center regularly it's the best way to stay in the know on the local LGBT scene. Encourage friends and family to visit www.lgcsc.org and www.outfor justice.org, and read our publications to learn more about the movement. Our collective voice has never been more important.
Tim Marshall is the communications director for the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center.
BRIAN DEWITT