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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2003)
n ’ iiiiïTTTW+cîinews igh-tech Internet surveys, emo tional community forums and official endorsements by key organizations illustrate how a new attempt to establish a queer community center in Portland is both grass roots and professional, serious in its intent to be inclusive, and comprehensive in its assess ment of feasibility. Earlier this year, an informal group of leaders from among Portlands sexual minorities and idvocates was called together by Sam Adams, Mayor Vera Katz’s chief of staff. The gay man wanted to help launch a diverse exploratory committee to expand on work initiated by the Queer Committee, an offshixit of Outside In. The consensus was to gather input to determine whether and how to proceed with a queer com munity center. “For me it’s an open question,” Adams says. “ Half my brain thinks it’s time for Portland to have one, but at the same time I’ve been involved in public policy enough to know that you have to do a certain amount of outreach and study to make sure that it really is going to help. It’s all in how you do it.” So far, the "how” has been methodical, com prehensive and consensus-driven. A series of five meetings has led to the establishment of the Community Center Fund, a temporary but for mal nonprofit organization charged with direct ing the research necessary for future develop ment of the facility. Actively involved have been representatives from organizations such as Basic Rights Oregon, Brother to Brother, the Burnside Triangle Advi sory Group, Cascade A ID S Project, It’s Time Oregon!, the Lesbian Community Project, the Northwest Gender Alliance, the Portland Gay Men’s Choms and Vanguard Youth Services. After preparing a budget that takes advantage of numerous in-kind donations— as well as a $5,000 kick start from the city’s Bureau of Hous ing and Community Development— Adams’ “fire starter” leadership role stx>n will diminish as an interim board begins directing a series of pub lic Speak Out Forums, a comprehensive survey and a professional feasibility study. Mike Pina (inset) suggests this vacant space at 1025 S.W. Washington St. in the Burnside Triangle would be suitable to develop into a queer community center M m g. 2003» B reaking C ommon G round A new grassroots effort explores the feasibility of a queer community center in Portland by T im oth y K rau se Multiple forums. Nearly 50 people attend ed the first forum held May 29 at Central Library. Many offered personal stories that testi fied to the need or benefit of having a queer community center, especially as a refuge and resource for those growing up or coming out. Individuals offered ideas about what the center might be like, addressing location, services, amenities and organizational structure. The forums continue throughout the summer. 30,000 surveys. A confidential survey titled “Out With It! 2003: What Have You Got to Say?” will be distributed at the forums, in Just Out, on the Web, at Portland Pride 2003 and at other IcKations. Building on the polling experi ence of the Burnside Triangle Advisory Group and others, questions range from general demo graphics to what people would like to see in a center to how Portland queers feel about the community in which they live. “The survey will help more than just the community center project," Adams says. “It will help those of us in government to have a better understanding of the state of the local commu nity. It will help the nonprofit organizations that have as part of their mission the support and adv(x:acy of the LGBTQ community. And it will help the for-profit businesses that want to help the LG BTQ community.” Feasibility study. Quantitative data from the survey and qualitative data from the forums then will be used to prepare a formal feasibility study. The report will focus on what kind of organization and facility would work best to address needs and wants of community mem bers. The evaluation will include what is prac tical in terms of not only a capital campaign but also ongoing financial stability. Results will be released by Oct. 1, after which the Commu nity Center Fund will determine whether to establish a new nonprofit organization that would actually develop and run the facility. At several meetings Adams acknowledged that some participants will think the process moves tix) fast, while others will find the process moving ttx) slowly. Brother to Brother representative Andre Pruitt, for example, expressed concern that queers of color might be left out of the process if it moves tcx) swiftly and does not actively seek their input in an accessible manner. Mike Pifia, Burnside Triangle Advisory Group member and busi ness owner, says the contingent should push ahead to seize immedi ate opportunities. The group’s research already has demonstrated the need, he contends, and a group o f anonymous but high-profile donors are interested in providing funds to lease a building available in the his torically gay Burnside Triangle. “The establishment of a gay community cen ter is an important milestone in the maturity of our community, and the quicker we establish I § 5 I | | For Markie Acevedo, a center represents a more personal connec- tion. “I came out late in my life, at 45 years old, and the San Diego Communitv Cen ter helped me to plug into the community,” she says. “I also iden tify as bisexual, and bisexuals are a minority within sexual minorities. But I was able to find community through a bi group T he Queer Com m ittee’s John Coom ler (left) consults with Sam A dam s at the community during the Speak O ut Forum held May 2 9 at Central Library center. Plus, it is a great place for people to find job postings, i that, the quicker we can mature the services queer-friendly housing, support groups and | offered,” Pina wrote in an e-mail to Just Out. He also suggests that acquiring the down counseling.” Although vice chairman Kaelin Bowers town lcKation now would do more than cushion wishes the process would move faster, he the center’s startup and effectively launch its fund-raising campaign. Pina says siting a queer understands the importance of ensuring that every community is included in decision community center in the Burnside Triangle making. The key, he says, is to put aside differ would help ensure that the area’s inevitable gen- ences, “Situations and discussions might trification is gay-friendly. Furthermore, the building is in a usable state, central to trans become volatile and stressful, but I hope that the outcome of these situations ends up pro portation connections and offered at a below- moting the most important goal of creating market rate. But interim board member and co-chair the community center.” Jacob Brostoff adds: “It’s high time Port woman Gwenn Baldwin, who ran the Los land had a place where all Portlanders can cel Angeles Gay &. Lesbian Community Center ebrate their diversity, identities and the city before returning to Portland last summer, offers they love. A L G B T Q community center is a caution. reflection of our com m unities’ pride, visibility “I’ve seen firsthand what a wonderful and powerful asset a center can be for a community. I and success!” If realized, a queer community center in always thought that Portland needed a way for Portland would join more than 139 centers or queer people to come together.” But, she says, “It is sometimes tempting to jump ahead and similar sites that operate in 36 states and serve more than 1 million clients declare there will be a center without having determined annually, according to the "Every city is different, the right center for the com National Association of Les munity— or even if one is and we need to know w hat bian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community needed at all. Every city is is needed and what different, and we need to Centers. Once established, know what is needed and is pos: ossible before we start however, operations can be challenging. For example, a what is possible before we } e signing buildings. We m i t start designing buildings. We San Francisco center that can t assume’ anything, and (O n 't OSSUOie a n y th in g , a n d opened only last year report ed in May an operating we need to build ownership j . i wj / . broadly for any outcome.” I / WeA tO ¡HUM OWHerShip deficit of $642,000 and bank debt of more than $2 mil r,ñai Ktoup of potential f0 f Q p y " lion, according to Bay Area donors, who also expressed • ' concern about a political con- — G w 6M1 Baldwin Reporter. And Oregon’s only such facility, the Abdill-Ellis flict of interest should Adams have remained involved with the project, is expect- ¡ Center in Ashland, nearly closed two years ago ed to create a separate endowment fund earmarked because of community apathy and leadership for a queer community center. Shixild a formal conflicts. organization be established, funding then could be “Many times we are in a reactionary mixie, sought from the endowment specifically for “bricks whether it’s a crisis or emergency," notes David and mortar” projects. This wixild allow Kith a thor- Martinez, co-chairman of the Portland effort, ough prtx:ess of discovery and the immediate “In this case, we are bringing the community momentum of fund raising to pnx:eed in parallel together to get a sense of where we are, where efforts toward a common goal. we want to go and how a community center can Although various parties have attempted to support our endeavors. Whatever the outcome, the discussions, connections and collaKiration ignite a sustainable interest for a Portland center among the diverse groups in our community in the past, motivation waned when leaders throughout this process will benefit everyone.” burned out, had too few resources or lacked Baldwin concurs, saying, “If we continue this enough broad-based support from a diverse rep study inclusively and deliberately, I think we resentation of the community. will create something truly important for Ore Members of the Community Center Fund’s gon’s queer community.’ | temporary board of directors, however, are optimistic. The next S peak O u r F orum will he held at CM Hall, for instance, envisions a place that 6.30 p.m. June 29. For location call 503-535'3815, is supportive for youth and elders. “Something email portlandqueercenterQyahoo. com or wnte to that can bring together diverse factions, bridge different minorities within the LG BTQ com PO. Box 1682, Portland, OR 97207. To complete the online version of the queer community center munity and offer a safe meeting place for these survey, visit www nutu*thil2003 .com. groups,” she remarks. ’in 15
