Jun 1, 2026 · 5 min · 4 segments
The Elton John Impact Awards supports CenterLink for working to aggregate resources and services that strengthen, support, and connect LGBTQ+ community centers and community-based organizations. See…
Denise SpivakGuest
We are here to be the hub for communities to provide them with what they need to do their work.
We are a place that they can go to find resources, answers, and to find community.
We were founded in 1994 by the leaders of the five largest LGBTQ organizations at the time, or the largest centers at the time.
And they had sort of formed their own de facto support group, I guess, and finally realized if they needed support, then these emerging younger centers probably needed support as well.
The National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Centers was formed, and a couple of executive directors in decided that that was way too long of a name, changed it to CenterLink, and we've been around ever since 1994, so just celebrated our 30th anniversary last year.
Right now feels absolutely overwhelming, and to even... be able to think about that is challenging.
What I'm witnessing is, and this is what gives me profound hope, is that our communities are not backing down, they're doubling down.
And I see our community centers busier than ever, not just with crisis support and service support, but with people rolling up their sleeves to build something better.
What we learn is that when others try to tear us down, We keep building each other back up and we keep creating the world we want to live in.
And, you know, I look at centers that have schools and vocational programs and housing programs.
We're that group that Margaret Mead reminded us of when she said, you know, never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
And I think when we look back on this time, we're going to see how resilient we really were.
in the world is the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
And I can't tell you through my career how many times I've had somebody call me out of the blue and say, oh my gosh, I was just at the Los Angeles Center.
We are here to be the hub for communities to provide them with what they need to do their work.
We are a place that they can go to find resources, answers, and to find community.
We were founded in 1994 by the leaders of the five largest LGBTQ organizations at the time, or the largest centers at the time.
And they had sort of formed their own de facto support group, I guess, and finally realized if they needed support, then these emerging younger centers probably needed support as well.
The National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Centers was formed, and a couple of executive directors in decided that that was way too long of a name, changed it to CenterLink, and we've been around ever since 1994, so just celebrated our 30th anniversary last year.
Right now feels absolutely overwhelming, and to even... be able to think about that is challenging.
What I'm witnessing is, and this is what gives me profound hope, is that our communities are not backing down, they're doubling down.
And I see our community centers busier than ever, not just with crisis support and service support, but with people rolling up their sleeves to build something better.
What we learn is that when others try to tear us down, We keep building each other back up and we keep creating the world we want to live in.
And, you know, I look at centers that have schools and vocational programs and housing programs.
We're that group that Margaret Mead reminded us of when she said, you know, never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
And I think when we look back on this time, we're going to see how resilient we really were.
in the world is the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
And I can't tell you through my career how many times I've had somebody call me out of the blue and say, oh my gosh, I was just at the Los Angeles Center.
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