Hey Out Front readers – what can you tell me about your LGBT community center? If it takes you longer than a few moments to tell me where it’s located, the last time you visited or the last Facebook message it sent you, then there’s a good chance that your local center could use some help in communicating its mission to its various audiences. Our LGBT centers empower the entire LGBT community, helping us to create a healthier, safer and more unified community.
Fortunately, today happens to be LGBT Center Awareness Day! Founded by CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, it is an annual day of awareness promoting the critical role that community centers play in local communities and in the overall LGBT movement. Not only are LGBT community centers the front door to the LGBT community, but in the U.S they serve more than 40,000 people each week. Located in small towns and huge metro areas, these centers provide counseling services, cultural programming and advocacy work (among a host of other things!) in addition to serving as the backbone for the LGBT community. For communications professionals and marketers, as well as companies targeting the LGBT community, these community centers are a central place to interact with LGBT influencers (hello, brand power!). We know that many companies continue to target this increasingly powerful community; as they do so, community centers can provide valuable insight into this market.
So, what are some centers doing this year? Well, the Utah Pride Center has organized a number of events to mark the day, including a community service project, an open house and a cook-off. Even cooler? Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker plans to declare September 15th as National Community Center Awareness Day and his proclamation will be read by a member of the Human Rights Commission that evening. Resource Center Dallas is displaying a special group of items from the Phil Johnson Historic Archives and Research Library, including a sign from the 1993 March on Washington signed by Dallas participants and a yard sign from the Proposition 2 election in 2005.
And, in case you forgot that today was a day of awareness, the smart folks over at CenterLink have put together an incredible toolkit that includes a template welcome letter, event ideas, as well as talking points for advocates.
Marking a particular day is a great way to increase recognition, particularly by hosting events within the community but how can centers stay Out Front all year long?
- Involve the entire community, not just LGBT citizens. The LGBT Center of Raleigh participates in the city’s First Friday events every month; opening its doors to the entire community with art shows and cocktail parties.
- Get the message out! Use social media, email, good old fashioned signs and letters, etc., to make sure the community knows about your center. CenterLink’s toolkit includes great information that can be used all year long.
- Take a look at other community centers for inspiration.
- Play to your community’s strengths and interests. Live in an area that loves BBQ? Include that in your event plans.
Photo courtesy of http://www.mycenterlink.com/resources.html.
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