12
lUSt, OUt
MARCH 1 7, 2006
northwest
»
Transitioning Organizations
Queer center opens; Pride Foundation launches local office
s
by Jaymee R. Cuti
Remmers’ contract, which originally expired in
2005, was extended until the Q Center’s physical
location was secure.
Q Center took possession of a building at
1028 S.E. Water Ave. March 8 and is hosting an
open house from 3 to 5 p.m. March 19. Its initial
hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays through
Wednesdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Board member Gwenn Baldwin said the space,
which is approximately 1,600 square feet, can
accommodate events, meetings and activities. Its
proximity to a coffee shop and
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i large event space at Studio
1050 provides the center with
resources that it will not need
to supply itself for the initial
stages.
“It achieves the long-term
vision that we have for the
center without being some­
thing we have to financially
support right now. It’s giving
people a taste of what the cen­
ter will be in the future without
having to pay for it all up
front,” Baldwin said.
Former interim executive director Susan Remmers passes the
Q Center plans to remain
mike to board co-chairman Tim Healea at a Q Center event.
usan Remmers, interim executive direc­
tor of Q Center, is off contract with the
organization and moves to a seat on the
board in April. Her position will not be
replaced.
“We are not hiring an executive director at
Q Center at this time because we hired Gene
de Haan as a coordinator and that was very inten­
tional so we could really accelerate volunteer
engagement and build forward in a smart way,
according to our capacities,” Remmers said.
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at this location for approxi­
mately one or two years.
Q Center is also planning
an event titled “What Is Queer
Art?” described as a multi­ 11 Center is up and
media discussion with various
artists in the queer community with participant
expression. The event is slated for April 20, but a
time has not yet been determined. Check
Q Center’s Web site, www.pdxqcenter.org, for
updates.
Q Center recently received a $6,500 grant from
Equity Foundation’s general and donor-advised
funds, and another $1,100 has been pledged.
When asked how the center plans to spend the
grant, Baldwin replied: “Wisely. We’ve got payroll
and a lease now.”
Meanwhile, Remmers is bringing her startup
skills to another queer-oriented organization. Pride
Foundation, a Seattle-based funder of sexual minor­
ity causes, is opening an office in Portland.
The foundation is launching a new granting
model, debuting in Portland, that will use a local
volunteer-based granting committee to review and
make grants, as opposed to a centralized committee
in the Seattle office.
Remmers will begin the organizing process in
running on Southeast Water Avenue.
the new office, called Pride Foundation/Columbia-
Willamette. “Because this model is based on local
needs, we really want to hear from community
members,” she said.
Remmers is on a short contract with Pride
Foundation, which will hire a permanent staff per­
son in the next few months.
“They just asked if I could step in, help out, ini­
tiate some conversations...about how they would
move forward, getting up and going locally," said
Remmers.
Pride Foundation is holding a reception for
local organizations and community members to
solicit input and ask questions 6:30 p.m. April 4 at
Q Center.
Applications for funding are available now at
www.pridefoundation.org. A total of $25,000 is
available to organizations with sexual minority
projects based in Clackamas, Columbia,
Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill counties.
Applications are due April 21. ©