Stonewall the organization is an independent 501(c)(3) organization and for forty years this organization has worked to ensure the central Ohio region is seen as a welcoming, inclusive and affirming place for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. This work is not easy.
The last two years our organization has been critically impacted by the COVID pandemic impeding our in person community services and programming and thus our ability to maintain our largest community event and fundraiser, Stonewall Pride events during the month of June. As we continue to adjust to a new world of community need, and engagement, we find ourselves at the critical mercy of the pandemic and our community.
Even during a challenging year our organization strived to help ensure the 14th largest city in the country was a more inviting, welcoming, and inclusive place…
“Pride Circles” by Lisa McLymont
This year we continued building on the work of 2020: merged with Family Pride Network of Central Ohio, hosted an all virtual Pathways to Parenthood conference with attendees from across the state, we partnered with the City of Columbus to kick-off Pride month with the Illumination of City Hall (that lasted all month long), via web and television broadcast, we brought Pride into the homes of thousands with our 2021 Virtual Pride; we hosted a free eight-month financial empowerment program; we maintained our DBT program for two additional cycles; we fostered stronger programming and service partnerships with local and national LGBTQ+ centered organizations; we launched Stonewall C.A.R.E.S and we capped off the year with a new one-of-kind for Columbus public art piece “Pride Circles“.
Stonewall Staff
While our team is little we have worked hard to accomplish a lot for the community and the organization in a short amount of time.
As we close out the year we’re working to ensure that all of our community, LGBTQ+ and allied, understands the critical importance of supporting this organization and our work in the region.
I hope the work we’ve begun helps weave a new story for Stonewall Columbus and our engagement and support of not only the local LGBTQ+ community…but for all of the central Ohio community.
It’s been inspiring to help shape a new way the work gets done for an organization that creates community in Columbus and across central Ohio. A reimagined organization that aims to focus on economic empowerment, family creation, identity enrichment, and personal wellness for the LGBTQ+ community—this is life affirming work, this is a path forward for Stonewall and our community: https://bit.ly/StonewallForward [A must read!]
In September 2021 Stonewall kicked off our fortieth year and we continue to believe our organization has an abundance of opportunity in activating the new Stonewall building and evolving the organization in efforts to continue the work of uplifting our community by creating stronger and intentional partnerships that aim to serve a wide variety of needs across our intersectional identities—with a focus on economic empowerment, family creation, identity enrichment, and personal wellness.
With pride,
–Densil (he-they) 
Executive Director
DID YOU KNOW…
- In 2021 Stonewall saw a 175% increase in website visitors: 46,000 to 126,500.
- Top explored resource pages
- /General
- /Transgender
- /STI – Get Tested
- /Counseling
- Top explored resource pages
- Stonewall Columbus has been host to the 2nd largest Pride celebration in the mid-west welcoming over 700,000—right behind Chicago?
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- https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180614/look-back-at-history-of-columbus-pride-parade
- Annual economic impact well over $6 million for the region during the celebration
- Stonewall Columbus is one of the oldest and longest running LGBTQ+ organizations and centers in the country?
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- Started in 1981 as Stonewall Union the organization has evolved to meet the needs of the community.
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- Stonewall has inspired the creation of organizations like BRAVO, KYC, and Equality Ohio
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- Stonewall Columbus’ top engagement areas hit central Ohio and beyond?
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- Ashburn, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus*, Detroit, Dublin*, Gahanna*, Grove City*, New York, Pickerington*, Reynoldsburg*, Upper Arlington*, Westerville* (*Denotes a central Ohio city)
- The most populous cities in the country all had LGBTQ+ centers?
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- Through a mix of government/city, public, and private funding they persist.
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- Two have closed due to lack of funding support
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| City | State | Website | LGBTQ+ Community Center Name |
| New York | New York | https://gaycenter.org/ | The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center |
| Los Angeles | California | https://lalgbtcenter.org/ | Los Angeles LGBT Center |
| Chicago | Illinois | https://www.centeronhalsted.org/ | Center on Halsted |
| Houston | Texas | http://www.montrosecenter.org/ | The Montrose Center |
| Phoenix | Arizona | N/A | Closed since 2016 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://www.waygay.org/ | William Way LGBTQ Center |
| San Antonio | Texas | https://pridecentersa.org/ | Pride Center San Antonio |
| San Diego | California | https://thecentersd.org/ | The San Diego LGBT Community Center |
| Dallas | Texas | https://www.myresourcecenter.org/ | Resource Center |
| San Jose | California | https://www.defrankcenter.org/ | Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center |
| Austin | Texas | N/A | Closed since 1997; LGBTQ Comm. Foundation raising new funds |
| Jacksonville | Florida | N/A | N/A |
| Fort Worth | Texas | https://www.myresourcecenter.org/ | Resource Center |
| Columbus | Ohio | https://stonewallcolumbus.org/ | Stonewall Columbus |
| San Francisco | California | https://www.sfcenter.org/ | The SF LGBT Center |
- You can help create a sustainable future for the LGBTQ+ community in central Ohio and beyond?
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- By supporting Stonewall Columbus and ensuring LGBTQ+ identities are seen and thriving.
