Denise Spivak

As LGBTQ+ people know, there is power in numbers. The same can be said of LGBTQ+ centers. There are small groups across the country and internationally that provide vital services for their communities, many in underserved areas. And uniting them is CenterLink, whose lesbian CEO, Denise Spivak, works “to strengthen, support, and connect LGBTQ community centers around the country,” she says.

“Our growing network of 346 LGBTQ community organizations are vital places where people can go for a wide range of critical, often life-saving services,” she says. “These centers collectively serve about 52,000 people each week, or nearly 2.7 million people per year.”

This year has been a pivotal one for CenterLink, which has seen “continued growth” and “a big uptick” in funding, which it can pass on to fortify member centers, Spivak says. In a year of “unprecedented” anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, these resources are needed now more than ever.

“Our centers have been working tirelessly to provide support and resources to their community members amidst all of the rhetoric and hate, and we’ve been working with center leaders to advocate for their communities and to navigate the issues at the local, state, and national levels,” Spivak says.

“Even though we’ve made important strides towards LGBTQ equality, there is still so much more work to be done,” she notes. “Every individual should have the right to live authentically and safely, free from discrimination, hate, and violence. Until that happens, our work as advocates and as humans is not done.” @lgbtcenterlink