The LGBT Center of Central PA is changing lives nestled between Midtown Scholar and Radish & Rye Food Hub on North 3rd Street in Harrisburg. GLO Harrisburg, a program of the LGBT Center, is “Harrisburg’s first community resource center by and for young, transgender women and girls of color,” said Director of Youth Programs, Amanda Carter. This program received $20,000 from the Fund for Women & Girls VISIONARY grant program. Members of our grantmaking committee recently sat down with Amanda Carter and Amanda Arbour of the LGBT Center to discuss how GLO Harrisburg is empowering LGBTQ+ people of color to live healthy, authentic, holistic lives.
Operating since 2006, The LGBT Center, “fosters inclusive communities and holistic well-being for LGBTQ+ people through social, educational, and cultural engagement,” says Executive Director Amanda Arbour. The Center is a space for people to find community connections and support. LGBTQ+ individuals can connect with staff for resources regarding HIV and STI testing, homelessness, social services, mental health, friendship, and so much more. They also offer external training and education to employers to create workspaces that are more inclusive for LGBTQ+ individuals.
GLO Harrisburg is an outreach project of the LGBT Center. Its mission is to maintain a space where men who have sex with men and trans women of color have access to the resources necessary to create holistically healthy lives, relationships, and communities by offering HIV and STI education, testing, prevention, and linkage to care. Their space also serves as a recreational space for youth and young adults ages 14 – 29.
“We had an individual come in for programming and tell me they didn’t have a place to live,” says Amanda Carter, “They came back swinging keys in my face saying, ‘Hey, Carter, I got an apartment!” GLO’s impression on young people and bringing someone else into GLO for help affirms that they have created a space for LGBTQ+ youth of color to be their authentic selves.
Grants like these are only possible through the collective giving of the Dream Team. Your contribution and continued support connect LGBTQ+ women and girls of color to services, education, and resources they need.
The LGBT Center also offers external training and education to employers desiring to create workplaces that are more inclusive for LGBTQ+ individuals. To learn more about GLO Harrisburg and the LGBT Center of Central PA, visit https://centralpalgbtcenter.org/glohbg.
