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Gwenn Baldwin rallies Portlanders to consider
creating a community center by Jonathan Kipp
( 503 ) 232-3600
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m
ortlanders rarely look
to Los Angeles for
advice, but this was a
worthwhile exception.
Some are wondering
whether the community would
support a gay and lesbian center,
and they recently asked for some
expert advice.
Gwenn Baldwin helped rally
locals to support the concept
when she spoke Oct. 9 to the
Portland Area Business Associa
tion. She worked with some of
Oregon’s most well-known politi
cians before being lured to the
City of Angels 18 months ago to
serve as executive director of the
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian C en
ter. She sat on Gov. John Kitz-
haber’s gay and lesbian advisory
committee and served as commu
nications director for former Gov.
Barbara Roberts.
But what might have helped
Baldwin land the hign-profile
jo b in Los Angeles was the
Gwenn Baldwin
important role she played in
defeating 1994’s anti-gay M ea
sure 13. As communications director, she
“It is a phenomenal place to live.”
wrote award-winning editorials and opinion
Baldwin said centers are located in Spring-
pieces.
field, Mo., and Salt Lake City. “These are not
easy places to have a center,” she joked, “and
Baldwin, who has a long history of giving
they are doing great work.”
advice and influencing people, was given 20
minutes to pique Portlands interest in a gay and
Baldwin thinks what Portland needs in a
lesbian center. If anyone could do it, this would
center isn’t necessarily what Los Angeles needs.
be the person.
Every city is different, she said.
The Los Angeles center, about 30 years old,
To start, the community needs a few com
is the oldest gay and lesbian community center
mitted leaders. They then must bring to the
in the country. It is revered as a model for simi
planning table additional people with a
lar facilities throughout the country and the
vision of what the center could and should
world.
look like.
The center started as a “safe place" for gays
Portlanders need to look at current services
and lesbians to address issues of internal and
and what they would like to offer to the com
external homophobia but recently underwent a
munity, Baldwin said. “You have to look at
substantial growth spurt. In 1992, the organiza
today’s issues to be relevant to the people.”
tion had a budget of only $3 million.
In Los Angeles, if the center only were to
Today, with an annual budget o f $33 mil
offer social services, Baldwin explained,
lion, it has five locations, 250 paid
“W e’d be on a treadm ill.” Instead, it
staff and more than 3,000 volun
diversified and offered activities
teers and attracts more than
and advocacy services that are
"(Portland is)
2 2 0 ,0 0 0 people annually.
relevant to the Southern C al
a phenomenal place
Baldwin said the growth
ifornia community.
took “hard work, vision and
T h e Los Angeles center
for a center.
a lot o f generosity."
serves 2 ,3 0 0 patients for
T h e centerpiece of the
It is a phenomenal
H IV services. A n additional
organization is “the V il
2 ,000 patients are seen in the
place to live."
lage”— an activity
oasis
general health care program.
located in the heart o f Holly
Programs also serve homeless
wood. “It’s quite a place,” Bald
youth and senior citizens.
win said.
Vision is important, but a center
She listed several factors required in cre
requires substantial cash. Baldwin said one
ating a strong center like the one she directs.
of the first steps is to find or cultivate what
One of the most important: People are more
she calls “angels”— individuals to help with a
likely to support a project with their money if
capital campaign. Donors will be needed as
the space has a feeling of permanency.
well as others who have knowledge or con
Baldwin said 106 community centers for sex
nections in real estate.
ual minorities are located in 36 states across the
“You have to create a community a step at a
country. Only half of them have budgets and
time,” Baldwin said. “No community center is
paid staff; less than a dozen have budgets
built in a day.” j n
exceeding $500,000.
“Does Portland need it?** Baldwin asked the
For more informaticm on the LOS ANGELES
businesspeople. "Absolutely!” she enthusiasti
G ay & L e s b ia n C e n t e r , visit the Internet site
cally answered her own question.
ivwiv.laglc.org.
“It’s a phenomenal place for a center," said
Baldwin, who still considers Oregon her home.
— Gwenn Baldwin