Lesbian and Gay Community Center of Greater Kansas City
Dates
- Existence: 1992
Parallel Names
- LGCCKC
Biography
A sign-up sheet for those interested in forming a Lesbian and Gay Community Center was presented to attendees at the 1992 Pride Festival, and from this emerged The Lesbian and Gay Community Center of Kansas City (LGCCKC), which was incorporated by the end of the year. As stated in its bylaws, the purpose of the Center is “to establish and maintain a community center for the good of the lesbian and gay community and their friends; to provide a safe place in which person of that community can interact and grow educationally, emotionally, and spiritually; and to provide and support groups who will address the ongoing needs of the lesbian, gay and allied communities.” This mission was directly addressed initially by the development of “Councils” that addressed specific needs, e.g. Support Groups, Lesbian Alliance, Community Development, and Social Service. Out of these Councils grew several notable projects, including the Lydia Moore Lesbian Health Project and the Greater Kansas City Queer Community Oral History Project.
Outreach is a particular strength of the organization. The most notable example of these types of efforts was the “Out in Westport” event, held on the second Sunday in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day. Out in Westport began in 1994 as a combination community awareness fair and opportunity to patronize gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses in the district. Over time it grew in popularity, to the point that the fair component grew so large that Westport Road was shut down for the event. In the mid-2000s the event was relocated to Hyde Park, and dubbed “OutFest”, allowing the Center to continue to focus on its community awareness mission.
While primarily a service organization, the LGCCKC also focused on providing members of the lesbian and gay community a physical space in which to congregate. In 1993, the Center leased office space in the Westport Allen Center. By 1999, a “transitional office” called The Rainbow Center was launched on the second floor of the Supreme Bean Coffee House at 1615 W. 39th Street. In 2004 the Center moved into a space at 205 Westport Road, where it remained until July of 2008, when the LGCCKC migrated to an exclusively online existence at www.lgcckc.org where it remains as of this writing (Jan, 2011).
