Yesterday, we introduced Castro readers to the new Strut, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's new space. But another LGBTQ-serving organization has been a longtime fixture nearby: Open since 2002, the San Francisco LGBT Community Center at Octavia and Market was established with the aim of providing programming and services for all members of the LBGTQ community under one roof.
While the political landscape for LGBTQ citizens has changed dramatically since the Center’s early days, most notably with this year's Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage, there's still a need for support services and employment assistance. "We're in an important time in our movement, where the community and our allies are starting to focus on equality in employment, housing, and all the vital areas impacting LGBTQ people every day,” says Clair Farley, the Center's associate director of economic development.
In addition to personal financial services like the first-time homebuyer program, youth programs like the Tuesday night Queer Youth Meal Night, and small business programming like a drop-in business incubator, the Center focuses on employment support, from the free CyberCenter for those in need of internet access, to extensive services such as workshops, job fairs and one-on-one meetings with employment specialists.
Benjamin Bustamante is one such employment services specialist at the Center, and is also an example of the type of client it serves. After moving to San Francisco in 2012, he met with a career specialist and attended job clubs and a career fair to gain a deeper understanding of the next steps he wanted to take in his professional life.
Benjamin Bustamante.
Bustamante ultimately completed a certification program at Mission Hiring Hall, then joined the San Francisco AIDS Foundation as a contract employee. When his contract ended, he found another, in an administrative role at the Center. Though he considered moving back to Sacramento, he enjoyed the work environment and employees so much that upon receiving a full-time offer, he decided to stay in San Francisco.
“I realized I wanted to help community members with their job search, rather than take a high paying project-management position," he says. "Being able to work with job seekers by motivating them and connecting them to LGBTQ employers has fulfilled me more than any other job I’ve had.”
Because transgender individuals can face difficulties in finding accommodating employers, the Center offers a special Trans Employment Program (TEEI), which is the first of its kind in the U.S. The program helps transgender people find trans-friendly employers, legal assistance, mentoring programs, and case management support.
Breanna Sinclairé has been working at the Center since March 2014. Originally a volunteer, she's now an economic development assistant. The first openly trans graduate of the classical voice program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she says it's an honor to be able to assist other members of the community, and to provide a chain of positive interaction. “Working at the Center gives me hope for the future of our community," she says. "As an Employment Associate, I am able to encourage a life, and that is significant."
Breanna Sinclairé. (Photo: Kent Taylor)
Aside from providing services, the Center also has a rotating art gallery, which showcases a variety of mediums and members of the Bay Area LGBT art scene.
The current exhibit is a Trans Community Altar, which Sinclairé explains is designed "to pay respect and homage to all the people who have been taken from us too soon."
With at least 20 transgender people killed in the U.S. this year alone, disproportionately affecting trans women of color like Sinclairé, it's "an opportunity for individuals to honor and mourn the lives of all those lost to violence." The altar will be on display through November 20th, the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Throughout the month of October, the Center will also be hosting a number of events for LGBTQ Economic Justice Month, including a kickoff reception on October 6th at 6pm and an LGBTQ Career Fair on October 21st at noon. Some events remain in the planning phase; updated information is available here.
As with many non-profits and community centers, volunteers are an important part of the picture at the Center. For additional information on the Center’s Volunteer Program, or to get involved, you can visit the website or call (415) 865-5627.
