The Birth of Brooklyn Community Pride Center
(BCPC)

In April, 2007, during a meeting of the Stonewall Democratic Club at The LGBT Community Center in Manhattan, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, an invited guest speaker, was asked why there wasn’t an LGBT Center in Brooklyn. “There definitely should be one” was his response and when Marty says there should be something, he makes it happen.

Within the next few days, calls were made to a number of various Brooklyn LGBT organizations inviting them to attend a meeting at Borough Hall to begin the journey. At that meeting, the seed was planted and during the 2007 Brooklyn Pride Parade, Marty announced that an organization had been formed to develop a Center in Brooklyn available to the entire LGBT Community. At his State of the Borough Address in January, 2008 he reiterated his idea and declared that “an LGBT Center would open in Brooklyn”.

While the birthing process is not easy, and can be painful at times, after a number of planning meetings, the initial paperwork was submitted to Albany and on February 22, 2008 the Brooklyn Community Pride Center (BCPC) was born.

As a new Non-Profit Corporation, BCPC made its first appearance at the recent LGBT Expo at the Jacob Javits Center. With the assistance of Brooklyn Pride, over 300 people filled out our informational survey and received the “I Support BCPC” sticker. Wearing BCPC T-shirts, we also participated in the 2008 AIDS Walk New York to raise money to help GMHC and to let the world see our new organization.

While we are still young, and the organizational work continues, plans are already in the making for the summer. Events and fundraisers throughout Brooklyn are in the works to get the ‘word out’ about BCPC, and our desire to serve the entire LGBT Family. We recognize that our Family is much more than the initials ‘LGBT’ and we want to be all inclusive, serving and open to everyone.

In the future, we are looking forward to our first space and the opportunity to work with, and be a part of the various Brooklyn LGBT organizations by providing a ‘Safe Haven’ for meetings, events, services and programs.

While there is a long road to travel, we appreciate and honor the wonderful example The LGBT Community Center in Manhattan has provided and congratulate them on their achievements during their twenty-five year history. The opportunity to serve this great and diverse LGBT Family is exciting and the future is boundless. We thank the organizers of Brooklyn Pride for honoring us as one of their Grand Marshalls and hope that everyone in “The Family” will get involved, help, and show support.

HAPPY PRIDE!