Pittsburgh Equality Center, formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian Community Center, needs you. PEC is an entirely volunteer-run organization that equips participants with resources and programming to serve the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community. The organization promotes education, advocacy, and social justice for all LGBTQIA+ people and allies in Western Pennsylvania.
To better understand the unique needs and experiences of the community in Greater Pittsburgh, the Center is hosting a community survey to assess those needs.
Ray Sidney-Smith, president and board chair, believes that if participants share their insights, they can play an essential role in shaping the programs and services the Pittsburgh Equality Center can offer, ensuring the Center reflects the real challenges and opportunities facing the LGBTQIA+ community.
Sidney-Smith said, “Every few years, the Center participates in a survey to form a community assessment and see how the LGBTQIA+ community is evolving. It helps us shape future programming.”
The 46-year-old community organization is also looking forward to its fiftieth anniversary. Sidney-Smith said, “We are preparing our fundraising plan as we look forward to the future as we move into the next fifty years.”
Sidney-Smith has been serving the organization for the past four years. He has held the title of president and board chair for the last year. Sidney-Smith revealed that the Pittsburgh Equality Center is in the early stages of a Capital Campaign, a project to raise funds to cover the costs of building a new center.
Sidney-Smith said, “My specialty is in economic development, and I was serving on the board of the Three Rivers Business Alliance, [the Pittsburgh and Greater Allegheny LGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce,] and I got involved with the PEC.” He added, “Wherever I live, I like to get involved and try to make the community a better place.”
“We had some tough times during the pandemic. Right now, we are operating out of the First United Methodist Church,” said Sidney-Smith. He’s hoping to open a new space before the fiftieth anniversary. He added, “I want to get the building prepared for modern times and the future.”
The organization has multiple events, gatherings, and programs. Notably, the PEC is known for OUTrageous Bingo at Rodef Shalom Congregation of Oakland, a fundraising event cohosted with the Shepherd Wellness Community.
The Pittsburgh Equality Center will hold a Pittsburgh Equality Gala on November 7 at the City Winery on Smallman Street. At the gala, the PEC will give out a Celebration of the Community Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Ally of the Year Award. Ticket information and additional details will be provided as they become available.
Sidney-Smith said, “I am hoping the Pittsburgh Equality Center can become a true community, an affirming, inclusive safe space for all the members of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ community.”
T.J. Murphy, vice president and board member, learned about the Pittsburgh Equality Center, then the GLCC, when he was first discovering the community. He said, “When I was coming out in Pittsburgh, there was nowhere else to go for queer culture outside of bars. The center offered connection, support, and a place to belong that was non-judgmental, and the library exposed me to so much queer history and culture that I wasn’t learning in high school.”
Murphy added, “I think the PEC’s community survey is so important right now. It helps us understand what LGBTQIA+ people in Western Pennsylvania need and how the center can serve the community the most effectively. The results from the survey will allow the PEC to curate programs and services that will truly reflect community priorities.”
The survey, which takes approximately ten minutes to answer, will remain open until August 15.
