lgbt teen night at Angel Falls

On every Wednesday The Akron Pride Center holds a youth group gathering at a local coffee shop called Angel Falls. There were about 20-30 kids there, the atmosphere was very laid back. Most just chatted with others, the coordinator ( Chair of the board on the A.P.C.) was like one of the kids. Was very refreshing experience, being that it was a "youth group" I figured there would be much more guidance There was no agenda, the kids drank their coffee, smoked their cigarettes and just hung out.

Akron Pride Center...WHO?

The Akron Pride Center is a collection of talents and skills drawn from members of the LGBT Community and from their friends and allies. They are an all-volunteer organization and collectively use their talents and skills to make The Akron Pride Center function. The A.P.C. is made up of a board of 12 members, they are currently trying to expand the number of seats on the board. The board members are all volunteers, no board member is paid for their services. Not only are they trying to increase the number of board members to lighten the work load, they would also like more diversity amongst their board members. The majority of the board is white, working class, gay men, 35ish to 50s. There are 3 women (two straight and one bisexual) and 1 minority.

The A.P.C. currently facility is tied up in construction renovations, and is of no use to the organization at the moment. Thus making it harder for board members to meet and execute their agenda.

The A.P.C. serves as a safe meeting location for several LGBT organizations in the Greater Akron Area. LGBT social clubs, political organizations and religious groups hold their meetings and activities at The Pride Center. The Pride Center also hosts seminars, educational meetings and social events. A unique feature of The Pride Center is the fact that all of our groups and activities encourage the inclusion of diversity from within the LGBT Community.

Some of the Pride Center Groups include:
Trans Pride: a diverse group dedicated to gender understanding.
Bi Pride: a discussion group exploring Bisexual issues for men and women.
Men in Touch: meetings of gay men and their friends providing support and discussing issues important to men.
Glamour Pride: a safe and positive support group for gay and lesbian teens ages 13 to 18.
AA Pride: regular meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.

about me

I'm a 25 year old college sophomore, yes i started late. Maybe one day I will finish. My first major was going to be in Graphic Arts, I started that in 2002 just after high school. But then I dropped out. After about 6 years of floating from job to job, finding myself, and "coming out" sorta, Ive decided to return and pursue a degree in nursing. After learning the specifics of Akron Universities Nursing program I've ruled out nursing, but not the medical field. I decided on lookin in to becoming a Surgical Assistant, its only a 2 year Associates degree and I don't have to enter the Akron's College of Nursing. So while all this is happening I discovered sociology. So now I find myself in a class called Women's Global Studies in Sociology, translation gender equality. Which has nothing to do with my degree, but its very captivating and its definitely sucking me in.

The Akron Pride Center

About Us

Our Mission
It is the mission of the Akron Area Pride Collective to advocate for the well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Akron and the surrounding counties through programs and events that draw strength from the collaborative talents and skills from individuals in the community.

www.akronpridecenter.org