Oakland LGBTQ Community Center

I had the honor of meeting George Smith III, the board president, and his amazing husband, Donald Hamilton, at Berkeley Pride yesterday. Their warmth, passion, and dedication to the LGBTQ+ community were truly inspiring. George’s leadership with Oakland Pride, happening on September 7th, promises to be an incredible celebration of community, inclusivity, and empowerment. Donald’s support and involvement make their impact even stronger, and together they exemplify the resilience, unity, and welcoming spirit that define the Oakland LGBT Community Center. It was wonderful to connect with such committed leaders, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of their work in Oakland and beyond.

Bad experience, I contacted the LGBTQ center to donate trans and queer books and other items to support the community weeks ago. I was told I could only make this donation at office hours mon-fri, no service after 5 (when I'm also at work). After weeks planning, I was able to go in person with my spouse to make the donation, I couldn't talk because I had VFS. My spouse talked to the receptionist on the interphone to try to drop off and she was just rudely sent away, she was repetitively told they don't take any donations and to get lost. Maybe find some more supportive place, like the Pacific Center.

I’m sure this place has amazing programs for people who need it, but from my experience it’s definitely not the third space it used to be. My partner & I are both neurodivergent, we came by to cool down & use the library as we were both overstimulated. We used to come here as teens so we didn’t think it’d be too much to stay for a bit. Not long into our stay, one of the staff misgenders me- which was a first in 5 years since I’ve transitioned. We were told we couldn’t be in the library without a “coordinator” by another staff, & then given a time limit for our stay. My partner then started to have a nosebleed so I went into the community kitchen for napkins, but apparently that was made into a staff area & we weren’t allowed in. Overall it just really felt like they didn’t want us there so we decided to leave, feeling that if we stayed then we’d just get overwhelmed again. We left feeling worse than before, especially knowing that the nice front desk person probably got in trouble for letting us in. Again, I’m sure this place has lots of awesome resources for people who need it; however, it’s definitely not the open inviting place it used to. You can hardly call it a third space.

With a number of community-serving programs, this center is an outstanding resource for Oakland's LGBTQIA population. The staff are extraordinarilly friendly and helpful. The center even features a community health clinic offering wellness support and consultation. They currently are offering monkeypox vaccination free to the public. A real plus for Oakland, all around.

I started renting an office here before the Center moved in. They became my landlord as of Jan 1st. They are supportive of the community and local businesses. Joe and Jeff are dedicated and resourceful leaders. They have made this center a place to combine work, fun and education.