The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is starting a new chapter in a familiar neighborhood. The center has moved back to Walker’s Point, settling into a new space at 161 S. 1st St., Suite 100, right across from Colectivo Cafe.
Leaders say the new location will allow them to better serve the community with a focus on creating a more welcoming and accessible space. Director of Operations and Innovation Ricardo Galaviz showed TMJ4 around the new center.
"Hi, welcome to your Milwaukee LGBTQ community center," Galaviz said.
Galaviz's journey with the center started in Walker’s Point in the 1990s when he was a teenager.
"It was actually right around the block. Right here on 2nd street," Galaviz said.
Watch: He first came to Milwaukee's LGBTQ center as a teen. Now he's leading its return to Walker's Point.
Now, he is helping lead the center into its next chapter. The move is a full-circle moment for Galaviz, bringing the center back to what he calls a historic, inclusive, and welcoming area.
"It feels like the right move at the right time," Galaviz said.
Although the new location is smaller, Galaviz said the space is more intentional and accessible.
"We don’t have any stairs to come in, we’re off three major bus lines," Galaviz said.
He calls it a blank canvas. Instead of trying to fit the old center in the new one, he said they came in with a whole new plan and purpose.
"How can we better serve our community? What is no longer serving us and where can we put our attention in the future?" Galaviz said.
The center offers a variety of resources for the community. A cyber center provides computers and printing services for people looking for jobs or other resources.
A multipurpose space allows visitors to spend time in a cozy environment.
"We can make it be whatever you want it to be," Galaviz said.
The center also features a large library.
"Everything that you will find here is LGBTQ author, theme, story, characters," Galaviz said.
Additionally, the center has a conference room used for free mental health services. They also have a food pantry, and hygiene items. A clothing boutique is also available. All of these resources are at no cost.
"Anyone looking to refresh their wardrobe or they’re just trying to find clothing that aligns with their authentic self," Galaviz said.
To offset the smaller footprint, the center is expanding its pantry and boutique services through pop-up events.
"While things are smaller, we offset that by pop up boutique events or pop up pantry events where we can bring in a larger amount or serve a larger amount of people in that amount of time," Galaviz said.
The community can also rent out the space for activities like yoga, a cocktail lounge, blood drives, or other events, pending approval from the center.
As part of the new efforts, the center has extended its hours, also to be more intentional for the youth. It is open Monday by appointment and Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The center will host its grand opening from May 6 to May 8 to welcome the center back into the neighborhood. Different days will feature different focuses, such as honoring the history and elders of the community, and looking toward the future and youth. The grand opening leads up to the second annual Queer Makers Market on May 9.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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