Ambassador Coley's "Wish You Were QUEER" Ride

Wish You Were QUEER highlights some of 2020 Ambassador Coley’s favorite places that serve LGBTQ communities.

Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation

Our first stop is Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, an organization committed to serving LGBTQ and HIV communities through training, tangible goods, and organizational development for growing LGBTQ organizations, businesses, and services. 

Central Outreach Wellness Center

Next we visited Central Outreach Wellness Center in the North Shore by the Rachel Carson (9th Street) Bridge. COWC proudly provides medical care to marginalized communities. COWC provides STI screening and treatment, HIV care, hormone replacement therapy for people of all genders, and medical care for current and former substance users. 

Proud Haven

Proud Haven in the historic Deutschtown area provides emergency housing to LGBTQ people under the age of 30. Proud Haven also has partnered with TransYouniting and TransPride PGH to provide youth support (social and tangible) Monday - Friday from 1pm to 8pm

True T Studios

After crossing the 16th street bridge to the strip district and climbing the hill on Liberty Ave, we visit True T, a Black Queer organization that serves through support groups, social events, and emergency housing for Transgender and Nonbinary people. True T is the only organization in the city that currently houses Trans and Nonbinary individuals. Their Option U program is underfunded. Black Trans Lives Matter! 

5801 Video Lounge

After the work of climbing the hill to Bloomfield, we coasted down Liberty, Aiken, and Ellsworth to Shadyside to rest at 5801, a staple LGBTQ bar. 5801 has gone BEYOND expectations for a bar. They frequently host fundraisers for small LGBTQ organizations and individuals, host the chili cookoff, and even offered use of their refrigerators and storage at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to hold groceries for community distribution. 
Across the street from 5801 is Element, also a gay bar. A few doors down is the Pittsburgh Equality Center (formerly the GLCC) which traditionally held safe space for LGBTQ youth.

Clouds in West Park

This is just a taste of the LGBTQ organizations in Pittsburgh.
If you learned something you didn’t know, please share!