ABOUT

​MISSION AND HISTORY

MISSION

The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center is dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, our families and allies, by providing educational, social, and health related activities, programs and services. 

HISTORY
The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center was founded and incorporated in June of 2017, by two African American gay men, Jeff Myers and Joe Hawkins, and established as a 501(c)(3) in February of  2018.  Joe Hawkins, who is also a founding member of Oakland Pride, is the Center's first CEO/Executive Director. Jeff Myers, who also worked as a volunteer coordinator with Oakland Pride, is the Center's first Board Chair.

The Center headquarters offices opened and began operation, in July of 2017 in the Co-Munity co-working office spaces located at 3207 Lakeshore Ave., in Oakland's beautiful Lake Merritt district. The creation of this new service in Oakland marks the first time in our city's history, that an organization has ever opened a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, LGBTQ community service center. 

OUR VISION
Our goal is to become Oakland’s premier network of programs and services for the LGBTQ community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The principles that guide the actions of the Center board, staff and volunteers are:

• Inclusiveness and diversity founded on human and civil rights for all
• Financial stability, transparency, and integrity
• Collaboration with consumers and other community agencies to provide a continuum of care and services
• Compassionate, quality service delivery
• Continual quality improvement
• Leadership development
• Cost-effectiveness
• Measurable outcomes.

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