The LGBTQ Center Long Beach is dedicated to advancing equity for LGBTQ people through culturally responsive advocacy, education, programs, and services.
Our vision is to achieve fully affirming communities where all LGBTQ people live in health, wellness, safety, and prosperity.
Our vision is to achieve fully affirming communities where all LGBTQ people live in health, wellness, safety, and prosperity.
Ethical leadership and service provision, with staff that are trauma-informed
Programming that addresses the experiences of all LGBTQ individuals
The LGBTQ Center Long Beach began in 1977 as living room gatherings to discuss issues important to the LGBTQ community. The Center was officially incorporated in 1980 as One in Long Beach, Inc. and has been providing a variety of health, social, advocacy, legal, and service programs to the LGBTQ community in the greater Long Beach area for over 40 years.
As a result of the AIDS epidemic, in 1984, The LGBTQ Center Long Beach established Project Ahead, the first case management service in Southern Los Angeles County exclusively for those affected by HIV and AIDS. The Center was, in many instances, the only safe haven where people of all sexual orientations, genders, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic levels could receive HIV information, testing and counseling, healthcare referrals and other support services.
In 1985, through the bequests of several individuals who died of HIV and AIDS, The Center purchased a 7,500 square-foot building located near 4th and Cherry in Long Beach. The building was renovated and opened in 1986 as a new home for the agency. In 1987, The Center held AIDS Walk Long Beach, which continues today as a separate foundation. In 1997, The Center became known as the Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach. Then in 2014, we became known as The LGBTQ Center Long Beach.
Today, we serve over 10,000 people annually through an array of programs and services including health services, free HIV & STI testing, mental health counseling, youth and older adult programs, domestic violence services, legal assistance, name and gender marker change assistance, workshops and trainings, a free cyber center, an LGBTQ community library, and a thriving volunteer program with an active database of over 300 volunteers. The Center also provides meeting space for 20 social and support groups and sponsors cultural and social activities, such as the annual Long Beach QFilm Festival. The Center also participates in several advisory and community groups, including the 4th Street Business Association.
The LGBTQ Center Long Beach is staffed by a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to providing services designed to empower and improve the quality of life of LGBTQ people and provide a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for everyone.
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