One of the central goals of The Center is to create and sustain a safe and welcoming space for all in our community. While that sounds simple enough, we are a movement with a history full of challenges to that simple goal.

Whether we were struggling in the 1970s to include women in a predominantly male movement or later to ensure the inclusion of those struggling with HIV/AIDS; whether we were trying to embrace bisexuality and the transgender community or to ensure the welcoming of people of color, it has been our goal to continue to widen the circle of those who are welcomed and given refuge. And at each step along the way, the central challenge is to find ways to continue to serve and support all those who have been participants while continuing to reach out and provide for those who may be newer additions. It’s a lot like a growing family, where older siblings and younger ones all need space and room, comfort and care. Each new addition requires the accommodation and adjustment of all.

In the last five years, our accelerating march toward equal rights has resulted in even greater changes in the full diversity of our community. Our many faces now include greater numbers of men and women of color, youth, seniors, people of faith, children and families. Five years ago, I would not have encountered 4-year-olds in the hallways of The Center. Today they are welcomed weekly.

With those delightful toddlers also come new challenges. How does The Center, the community, and all of our organizations provide for them? How do we keep them safe and make families feel welcomed? How do we ensure that “adult” activities are clearly labeled so that parents can make informed choices? What activities and events need childcare, and which now need to become clearly labeled for adults only? What provisions do we make to ensure youth are not served alcohol? How do we preserve our adult, artistic and entertainment options while attending to the needs of our children and youth?

These are all questions that our community’s businesses, organizations and agencies have begun to grapple with. The Center also struggles with these difficult choices, as well as trying to successfully meet the challenge of balancing the needs of our community and ensuring all who come here are safe and welcome.

To add just a bit of tension to an already difficult transition period, all of our attempts to adjust are also occurring in the public spotlight. Four years ago, we did not receive enough press attention to worry daily about the public perception of our internal community events or activities. Today, with our increased visibility comes increased scrutiny. That scrutiny is not all friendly. Anti-LGBT hate mongers regularly monitor our e-mail lists, Web sites and announcements, looking for fodder for their now frequent e-mails to the media and elected officials. The messages they write about us generally paint a picture of all the worst stereotypes: an irresponsible community who cannot appropriately care for youth, children, seniors or families.

On the one hand we have always faced this type of hate and should fight for what is fair and right. On the other hand, now we know that securing full equality will depend upon the willingness of those in the “moderate and moveable middle” to support us. And their willingness to do so is tied directly to their perceptions of us and our community. One extremely negative media piece lasting only 90 seconds can undo months of our important grassroots and education work.

These are transitions, decisions and challenges we can face and devise strategies for. We can find ways to celebrate all in our community. We can create a safe and welcoming space for older and newer members, and for all of the yet-to-come new additions. But to do that requires that we all participate in finding solutions and giving voice to our thoughts and concerns.

As The Center tries to create solutions, I know that we will inevitably fail and succeed. Sometimes we’ll get it right and sometimes we’ll make mistakes. What we need in order to ultimately succeed is to hear directly from you, from all in the community. We need to hear when we have managed a situation successfully, and we need to know when we have completely gotten it wrong. I am interested in what each of you has to offer about how we might better reach our goal of being a safe and welcoming space for all.

Please feel free to e-mail me at djacobs@thecentersd.org or phone me directly at (619) 692-2077. We can get there with your help.