A non-profit based in Racine is marking 15 years of making a major impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the community.
With a staff of only five, the motto at the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin is “small but mighty,” serving both Racine and Kenosha Counties.
"It's kind of a miracle that the center has existed for 15 years,” group executive director Barb Farrar said. “We don't have a lot of major resources and it's really grassroots."
She said they rely heavily on volunteers and community support to fuel their community outreach initiatives.
The group advocates for more inclusive policies, has educated thousands in the area on allyship through Safe Zone training, and connects directly with queer youth through things like support groups and equality prom.
"When they find out that there's an LGBTQ center here in the area, you can just see their faces brighten up,” operations manager Jasmine Alvarez said. "They're so happy that there's a community they can come to."
It’s work Farrar said has been paying off. For two years in a row, Racine has scored 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index—one of only four cities in Wisconsin.
"This has been the most important job of my life," Ferrar said.“It’s been life-changing.”
Alvarez said they’re thrilled to celebrate their wins but know they’ve got a long road ahead with schools, businesses, healthcare, and just about every aspect of the community.
“We still get a lot of hate, a lot of threats, and just all around just people not agreeing with what we stand for,” Alvarez explained.
But she also said knowing there is more work to be done motivates them to keep pushing forward.
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