The San Diego LGBT Community Center knows how vibrant and diverse our community is and believes we all belong! We may not all want or enjoy the same things, but we all have a place in the greater whole.

Hillcrest Youth Center

Whitney told us children are the future - maybe a little more often than we actually needed to hear it, but she made a good point. We have to invest in our youth. Hillcrest Youth Center offers a drop-in program for those 14-20. Open mic nights, Rainbowlution Now ‘Zine workshops, discussion groups, media workshops, life skills workshops – something’s always going on at HYC. And don’t forget The Other Prom is coming up in June. Sure, that’s three months away, but it’s never too early to start planning for prom. You can’t actually attend unless you’re 14-20 years old, but you can help make sure our youth have a safe, welcoming and fabulous place to celebrate prom. You can donate online at www.thecentersd.kintera.org/donate or send your check to The San Diego LGBT Community Center, P.O. Box 3357, San Diego, CA, 92166 – just print “Youth Prom” in the memo line. Youth who want to learn more about HYC programs and activities, contact Jessica Culpepper at 619-497-2920, ext. 114, or hyc@thecentersd.org.

Sunburst Youth Housing Project

Imagine being 18-24 years old and not knowing where you’re going to sleep tonight. No one should have to live that way, but our young people are particularly at risk. The Sunburst Youth Housing Project changes lives by providing stable housing and support services to 23 formerly homeless LGBT and HIV-positive youth. It puts the keys to home, safety and a brighter future in the hands of young people who have been living on the streets, fighting for survival. This is a project that offers not just housing, but a full range of support services designed to give our young people the support and teach them the skills they need to become healthy, successful adults. To learn more about Sunburst, contact Joseph Severino at 619-255-7854, ext. 102, or yhp@thecentersd.org.

Family Matters

Got kids? Thinking about having kids? Family Matters is the place for you. Family Matters serves approximately 400 LGBT and allied parents and their children (of all ages) each month, providing support, education, playgroups and socializing. There are weekly playgroups for children of different ages, clothing & toy swaps, the Big Family BBQ, Halloween parties and lots of other opportunities for family fun. On April 3 you can join other families at Mission Bay Ski Beach for an exciting treasure hunt. Dig for pirate’s treasure – and probably a few Easter eggs, as well. For more information, contact Jane Schmoll at 619-692-2077, ext. 121, or families@thecentersd.org.

Latino Services

The only dedicated Latino/a Services program offered by an LGBT community center anywhere in the nation, The Center’s program offers Mi Familia, health education, resources and referrals, and much more for our San Diego LGBT Latino/a community. Have you heard about the Mi Familia project? It provides Spanish-speaking family support groups for LGBT Latino/as and helps families stay together. It’s been so successful we made a movie about it. Join us in The Center’s auditorium on Saturday, July 24 for the premiere of Mi Familia, a documentary about families who love their LGBT children. A joint project of The Center’s Latino Services program and PFLAG, Mi Familia was filmed in Spanish and is shown with English subtitles. Tickets are only $5. For more information, contact Carolina Ramos at 619-692-2077, ext. 116, or latinos@thecentersd.org.

50 and Better Club

If you’re 50 or better, The Center has a packed schedule for you. Know your small slams from your grand slams and your strong two bid opening from your weak? Join the Bridge group on Mondays from noon to 3 pm (sorry, no training for beginners – these are serious card sharks). Want to relax and get your stretch on? Head to Yoga for Everyone on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. and Gentle Yoga on Thursdays at 2:45 pm. For those of you with artistic inclinations, feed your inner Picasso at Sabato Fiorello’s drawing and painting art workshop, meeting Wednesdays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The 50 and Better Club offers monthly mixers, Lunch and Learn workshops, readings with local authors and much more. For more information, contact Abby Schwartz at 619-692-2077, ext. 212, or seniors@thecentersd.org.

And there’s more – too much to fit in one column. This is just a small slice of the variety of our community!