San Francisco LGBT Community Center

The Center provides San Francisco with a vast array of programs and services for LGBT people, their friends and families. Our programs are unique because The Center is unique! In addition to our own programs, we collaborate with many organizations serving youth, the elderly, parents and marginalized communities by providing legal, health, social, educational and cultural services that benefit the entire lifespan of LGBT people.

We focus our programming in the following six areas:

• Economic and Workforce Development
• Arts, Culture & Social Activities
• Children, Youth & Families
• Health & Wellness
• Building Services
• Community Development

Hours:

Monday - Friday 12:00noon - 10:00pm,

Saturday 9:00am - 10:00pm.

Sunday Closed

Admission: Free

Location: 1800 Market Street @ Octavia, San Francisco 's Castro District

For further information please call 415-865-5555 or visit www.sfcenter.org

website

Castro mecca marginalized

Shortly after I discovered there were other gay people in the world I heard about The Castro.

In my mind is was a gay mecca. A place dreams were made from.

I would wander to Uncle Dons' Castro website and wish I would of come out sooner. So I might have been part of the amazing transformation which took
place in The Castro.

I emailed Uncle Don a few years ago asking him what life was like in The Castro now. He told me the old days were mostly gone. Commercialism has taken over The Castro. He had to move away from The Castro himself.

Hearing this news almost brought tears to my eyes. Because I realized a piece of our history was being covered over. Much like a person who no longer wanting a pool in their yard fills it with dirt and covers it. Never to be seen again.

Castro has so much gay history. So many changes took place. It would have been an honor to be part of it. I hope we keep it alive, at least in our memories.

Time has changed The Castro. It was another sad moment when I read an article today about the gay Halloween party being canceled in the Castro. It seems violence has taken over. So for safety concerns the event has been canceled.

Being from San Antonio, Texas I remember when the Battle of Flowers day parade errupted in violence as a man with a rifle started shooting people. The Battle of Flowers day parade was not canceled or inhibited in any way. Halloween in The Castro should not be affected due to previous violence.

I ask that you hold onto memories of the Castro. Remember the ultimate sacrifice people made by making a stand on The Castro. Which, in my mind will always remain an integral part of our gay history.