As the staff and community gathered at the New Haven Pride Center ribbon cutting Thursday, it was a moment in time to reflect, board co-chair Hope Chávez said.
“Fourteen months ago, the board took a big deep breath as we dug into some real challenges and real failures of this organization that was not on the part of the staff that is here today with us,” she said.
The organization lost its nonprofit status, and Chávez said they didn’t have a clear picture of their financial status. She describes the situation as complicated and difficult.
As the group welcomed people into the new location Thursday, she said partners in forensic accounting and legal assistance helped get them there.
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“I have to give a shout out to Rosa DeLauro’s office as well because from city and federal partners, we were able to get our 501(C)3 status reinstated within just a couple of months, which is almost unheard of," Chávez said.
They are coming out of the dark, and they are physically out of their former basement offices.
They are fully visible on Orange Street with bright workspaces and room to host community events and gatherings.
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“If you look at our programing, we have programing for the whole. We have body movement, we have educational programing, we have political education programing,” said Ala Ochumare, who works at the New Haven Pride Center.
And there’s a nod to some of that political struggle, with a library full of books that are banned across the country. They also offer clothing, a food pantry and a meeting space and programs for young people, while also meeting the needs of people of all ages.
“We are fortunate to call this welcoming city our home, a place where diversity is celebrated and acceptance knows no bounds and where everyone can find a place of belonging,” Executive Director Juancarlos Soto said.
Now, it’s also a place where people and the Pride Center can grow together.
“I’m just excited to see how that expands, to see new folks connecting to the center,” Ochumare said.
