NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRIDELINES
CONTACT: INFO@PRIDELINES.ORG
Pridelines Secures Location to Reopen City of Miami’s LGBTQ Community Center
Pridelines, Miami’s oldest LGBTQ service organization and only Community Center in Miami-Dade County Secures location in Liberty City, set to open in March.
FEBRUARY 14, 2024 - MIAMI, FLORIDA - Pridelines, Miami’s only LGBTQ Community Center has secured its new headquarters in Liberty City. Pridelines has signed a lease for a new space located at 5525 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127. The 3300 square foot space, formerly the Black Roots Collective, is already structured to meet the needs of the organization and community. Pridelines' Miami location will include the Roger Thomson and Jim Terrell Rainbow room, a youth lounge, the David Bohnett Cyber Center, a LGBTQ lending library, The Smart Ride Clinical rooms, a kitchen, gender neutral bathrooms, event space, administrative offices, and parking. The new LGBTQ+ Community Center will better serve the needs of the community and will be open in March 2024.
The new community center will be less than 10 minutes from the previous location in Little Haiti and will allow Pridelines to provide a safe and affirming space for the LGBTQAI+ community, where members can access a range of supportive services. Pridelines, currently operating out of its Miami Beach location, has experienced an increase in calls, emails, and communications from the LGBTQAI+ community for support groups, counseling, housing and food assistance, therapy, HIV/STI testing, preventive care, and treatment since the emergence of anti-LGBTQ legislation and laws throughout the State of Florida. “Pridelines has been around for the past 42 years. We have continued to be a supportive agency providing critical services to our community. Despite Pridelines recent leadership transition, we have not stopped providing programs and services to the communities we serve. This new location will allow increased physical access to our staff, resources, and center and will serve as a beacon of hope for many who need our range of services, ” said Veronica Barrios-Garcia, Board Chair and former interim CEO of Pridelines.
“Pridelines Miami Center’s service will be Miami’s Safe Center and will create an environment and atmosphere where everyone feels safe, affirmed, and provided with the resources they need to live their lives as they see fit,” said Dr. Edward Summers, Executive Director of Pridelines. The Center will be home to all of Pridelines programs and services including youth programs, health and wellness programs, recovery support groups, intergenerational programming among all age ranges of the LGBTQ community, and community event space. The new location will allow Pridelines to bring back its Project Safe program, which is currently running out of its Miami Beach location but lacks adequate infrastructure to realize the mission of the program. Project SAFE offers individuals facing homelessness wrap-around services including connection to housing, food assistance, access to showers and laundry, a community closet with clothes and toiletries, mental health counseling, support groups, job assistance, and health screening, testing, and preventive care and/or treatment.
“Pridelines work is embedded in the needs of the community. Pridelines is 42 years strong. We continue to evolve and meet the needs of the community we serve. We are one of the oldest LGBTQ service organizations in Miami - Dade County and are committed to making sure that all members of the LGBTQAI+ community feel supported and that they have resources at Pridelines and/or partner organizations,” said Edward Summers. Pridelines will continue to operate the Miami Beach location, which is housed at the LGBTQ Visitors Center on South Beach in partnership with the Miami Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Pridelines is proud of its long-standing partnership with the Chamber and sees the Miami location as a way to enhance that partnership by having an additional location for the Chamber to use for its events and programs. Pridelines is grateful for all of its youth, community members, funders, supporters, volunteers, former and current staff, and board of Directors for the generosity and support.
Over the next few weeks, Pridelines staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers will work together to clean and furnish the new space. Pridelines is accepting donations of art, desks, furniture, appliances, and/or financial contributions for the space. A grand opening will be scheduled for sometime in March. For more information on Pridelines new Center visit www.pridelines.org.
ABOUT PRIDELINES
Pridelines is Miami’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) Community Center. A grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, created by gay and bisexual youth for LGBTQ youth and their allies in the wake of Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign. Rooted in a peer-led/adult-facilitated youth group model, and with the help of Dr Marilyn Volker, Peter Meyer and other concerned adults, the group began meeting at Miami-Dade College in 1982. In 1999, under the leadership of group member Dale Ayres, the group incorporated, opened its first youth drop-in center, and changed its name to Pridelines Youth Services. Fundraising efforts quickly increased, Health Department contracts soon followed, and programs grew contributing to the growth of Pridelines Youth Services. Pridelines was one of the first community-based HIV testing sites in Miami-Dade County. Celebrating its 42nd anniversary, Pridelines continues to provide safe space, social support, skills building, leadership development and referrals to mental health, health care and support services for LGBTQ youth and their straight allies throughout South Florida.
Today, just like our youth, the organization has grown and matured. In 2015, we shortened our name to Pridelines, reflecting our desire to support the lives of all members of South Florida’s LGBTQ community. We continue to ensure that LGBTQ youth have the support they need, while also committing to doing so throughout their life span. Pridelines continue to expand programs and services for LGBTQ adults and families to provide life-long support for our community.
MISSION
Pridelines’ mission is to support, educate and empower South Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and community in safe and diverse environments, through affirming programs and services to promote dialogue, wellness and foster social change.
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