Center For Gay Community Moves To New Location

The Rainbow Regional Community Center has a new home.

Tucked away in the nondescript Lindaman Center at Mission and Washington, R2C2 - as it’s called - joins other nonprofit groups in the building, such as the Greater Spokane Music Festival, Catholic Family Services and the League of Women Voters.

“Now I feel like we’re part of the community,” said Cindy S., who co-chairs R2C2, a center providing support services for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. She and the other chair, Bill R. asked that their full names not be used for their protection.

They lead semisecret lives, full of wondering which places are gay friendly and which people they can be completely honest with.

“Welcome to our world,” said Cindy.

She hopes R2C2 will make life as a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person a bit easier by providing a resource for those who don’t know where to turn.

“Many people in our community feel isolated,” Cindy said. “They feel there’s nowhere to go and no one to talk to. That’s why we’re here.”

R2C2 can point people to Spokane’s gay-friendly businesses and services, like hotels, churches and Alcoholics Anonymous groups.

“We’re here to provide information to people who want to know what’s available,” Bill said.

The center serves as an umbrella group for some of Spokane’s smaller organizations as well. In addition to coordinating activities, it provides voice mailboxes, meeting space and speakers for the groups’ seminars.

R2C2 also hosts its own informational workshops and events and maintains a Web site at www.4pride.net.

“If we don’t provide things for ourselves, who will?” Cindy asked.

Though the idea for a community center has been around for a long time, R2C2 was officially created in 1996. Its previous home was on South Howard in what Cindy and Bill agree was not a very nice part of town.

“Our goal is to provide a safe place for people to meet,” Bill said. “Lots of people told us they didn’t feel safe there.”

Bill and Cindy hope the center’s new room, modestly decorated with a rainbow flag, will be a strong base for future growth and a greater presence in the community.

“Our mission statement is to foster acceptance of our community within the community,” Cindy said. “We want people to know we’re like anyone else.

“We’re not to be feared or hated. We just want to live here like anyone else.”

Open house planned Here are some upcoming events for the Rainbow Regional Community Center, 315 W. Mission, Room 2: R2C2’s open house, Saturday, 5-9 p.m. An educational HIV/AIDS workshop, Feb. 24, 7-9 p.m. The group holds its board meeting the second Monday of every month at 7 p.m. All are welcome. Contact R2C2 at 458-2741 or on the Internet at www.4pride.net.