The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center's model of service delivery is "Wellness First" and provides social, educational, and holistic health-related programs, services and activities.
SERVICES
Working To
Support, Educate, Encourage & Empower
Our Diverse LGBTQ
Community​​
In Oakland
Center Hours Starting:
Admin Hours:
Mon, Wed, Fri - 12pm-5pm
Support Group Meetings & Activities:
See Calendar Page
OUR VISION FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LIFE ENRICHMENT, & WELLNESS SERVICES
LGBTQ crisis intervention referrals​
Please call one of these crisis lines if you need someone to talk to!
LGBTQ YOUTH CRISIS LINE 24/7
1-866-488-7386
SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE 24/7
1-800-273-8255
LGBTQ ELDER HOTLINE
1-888-234-7243
Drop-in hours & support groups
The center will be a safe, supportive place for LGBTQ community members of all ages to hang out, access resources and find community. We will also host a variety of culturally/ethnically diverse drop-in group discussions, emotional support and 12-step groups. Drop in services begin September 8, 2017. Weekday drop in hours will be from Monday-Friday, 12pm-5pm. Weekend drop in groups are Fridays 6pm-9pm or Saturdays 2pm-10pm. We are closed on Sundays. Check our calendar and get on our email list to be notified of upcoming group meetings.
Transgender Advocacy Services
Our goal is to create a cadre of Transgender
Advocates to connect clients with resources and to assist them in navigating community services, such as no cost or low cost mental health counseling, name and gender change assistance, affordable health insurance options, economic and job training/career counseling empowerment services, legal hormone and health clinics.
Advocates will table at community events to conduct outreach, host town hall meetings and present educational workshops.
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Group social activities, outings and Excursions
The center will offer opportunities to socialize and meet new people to include game nights, singles discussion groups, yoga, movie nights, group outings and more.
Peacekeepers Alliance
Housing Advocacy & Support
Many LGBTQ people were kicked out of their homes, disinherited, or grew up in foster care. They might not have had the support they needed starting out, which led to a lifetime of housing difficulties. One of the cruelest ironies is that here in the Bay Area, historically, has been one of the few places where LGBTQ members can live in the open without fear, but it is also a place hard for many to afford, especially those that have had a lifetime of economic opportunities denied to them as many have experienced here in Oakland. Our goal is to create programming that will connect people with emergency, shared,and permanent housing solutions for LGBTQ youth, adults, and seniors. We also hope to advocate for more funding to to support our most vulnerable community members.
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Our new Peacekeepers Alliance will provide a non-confrontational buffer between the LGBTQ community and those who would protest LGBTQ events. In times of need, they intervene to prevent confrontations between protesters and event participants, often acting as escorts for those who would like to attend such events. This alliance will provide a visual representation of support for those in our society who may feel marginalized, while simultaneously protecting everyone.
To become a part of the alliance, click here.
LGBTQ Mentoring Program
The LGBTQ Mentoring Program will be a safe, trusting, confidential, one-on-one relationship between the mentee and an LGBTQ mentor. This relationship provides an opportunity for the mentee to explore many issues regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a safe, non-judgemental, supportive, and enpowering environment. Mentors help LGBTQ participants to live fuller, happier, and more productive lives.
If you would like to be an LGBTQ Mentor see our volunteer section.
Oakland LGBTQ victims of Hate Crime​s
Hate crimes are up 11% in California. LGBTQ community members are among the top two most targeted groups behind African Americans. If you are attacked call 911. If you need to report a Hate Crime in Oakland that has already occurred, call 510-777-3333 For one on one counseling or advocacy support, please contact us at the Oakland lgbtq center.
HIV/AIDS/STI testing and treatment services in Oakland
These Oakland based agencies provide FREE testing and treatment of most STD-STI's.
AHF Mens Welness Clinic - 510-251-8678
APEB LGBTQ African American - 510-663-7979
Asian Health Services - 510-986-6100
Downtown Youth Clinic - 510-921-6680
LA Clinica Fruitvale - 510-535-3500
For a complete list of services click here
Oakland LGBTQ Homeless Coalition
Frequently, homeless LGBTQ persons have great difficulty finding shelters that accept and respect them. LGBTQ individuals experiencing homelessness are often at a heightened risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation compared with their heterosexual peers. Transgender people are particularly at physical risk due to a lack of acceptance and are often turned away from shelters; in some cases signs have been posted barring their entrance.
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According to the Williams Institute, 40% of the homeless youth served by agencies identify as LGBTQ
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43% of clients served by drop-in centers identified as LGBTQ
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30% of street outreach clients identified as LGBTQ
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30% of clients utilizing housing programs identified as LGBTQ
Homelessness among Alameda County youth is disturbingly common. There are currently more than 1,700 homeless youth, ages 14-23, living on the street at any given time in Alameda County. Currently, there are only 36 beds for homeless youth in the County; 24 of which are located in Oakland.
The new Oakland LGBTQ Community Center will be establishing an advocacy, research and fundraising collaboration to help to develop and create services for homeless youth in Oakland.
Common Ground Alliance
Our Common Ground group service will provide a space where people of all ethnicities, cultures, genders, ages, and sexual orientations, will be able to come together and share resource information and discuss issues affecting our community and strategies to build a better LGBTQ community in Oakland.
Aging With Pride
The center’s Aging with Pride initiative will promote a positive and healthy quality of life for elder LGBTQ individuals in Oakland by ensuring they continue to be supported, respected, and connected as they advance in age. We will collaborate with existing agencies working with LGBTQ seniors to connect people to needed resources and work to identify gaps in services so that we can find ways to fill those gaps. Check our website calendar or Join our email list to be notified of upcoming discussion groups and workshops.
Mental health & substance abuse counseling & referrals
Our goal is to collaborate with mental health services providers to provide one on one and group level, culturally competent mental health services and referrals, to help people get the mental and emotional support that they need. Areas of support will include dealing with depression, suicide prevention, marriage and relationship counseling, domestic violence counseling, coming out counseling, post traumatic stress counseling, anger management, and more. Services will either be free or a sliding scale, depending on the service provider and agency funding.
Advocacy, Leadership Training & Speakers Bureau
Unlock the leader in you! Leadership is critical to making a difference in any community. The Center will provide opportunities for you to gain leadership skills while helping to further our goal of educating the broader community about LGBTQ issues. We are looking for motivated people who want to learn how to advocate for our community in public forums and be a face of our diverse community. Click here if you would like to volunteer to help.
Community Outreach
Center staff and volunteers will conduct outreach activities at various festivals, colleges, pride events, and more to let the community know about our new center and its services. If you would like to become an outreach volunteer, click here.
LGBTQ Family Services
Our families matter. The Center is committed to creating a safe space where LGBTQ parents and parent's-to-be, can come to find support services to help them cope with the many unique challenges faced by LGBTQ parents and by parents of LGBTQ children. We will also offer group meetings to bring parents together to share experiences and resources for respite, counseling and more.
Employment - Workplace Workshops & Trainings
The LGBTQ community is statistically one of the most discriminated against demographics in the world today. According to surveys done by UCLA’s William’s Institute, approximately four percent of the United States workforce identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or queer (LGBTQ). The LGBTQ workforce continues to face widespread discrimination in the workplace with 21 percent of LGBTQ employees reporting that they have been discriminated against in hiring, promotions and pay. Furthermore, one out of every 25 complaints made about workplace discrimination comes from LGBTQ employees. At present, too many gay and transgendered workers are being judged based on their sexual orientation and gender identity—factors of which have no impact on an individual’s ability to perform in a workplace setting. The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center will provide workshops about how to recognize and handle workplace discrimination, how to report it, and how find legal advocacy & support. We also hope to provide workforce training sessions for youth and others seeking to learn new skills to to gain employment in the Bay Area's tech heavy industry. Stay tuned!
Religion & Spritiual Services
Oakland is a diverse community with people of many different faiths and belief systems. The religious and spiritual services of the Center support efforts by LGBTQ people to claim our long-standing relationship to the spiritual dimension of life. They provide an opportunity to share our experiences across a variety of traditions and develop our own voices as spiritual human beings.