Jefferson County Pride, a non-profit organization that supports the county’s LGBTQ citizens, will open the doors to its new Rainbow Center March 2.
The Rainbow Center, which will be open every Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Port Townsend Community Center, will offer a space for teens and young adults ages 14 to 24 who are part of the LGBTQ community or allies of that community.
“The Rainbow Center is meant to be a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ youth,” said Einav Bloom, who was hired by Jefferson County Pride as the center’s coordinator. “Currently, we don’t have a space like that in Port Townsend.”
The center will be open Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m. for ages 14 to 17. Free dinner will be served for all ages at 5:30 p.m. and then reopen from 6 to 8 p.m. for ages 18 to 24.
The Rainbow Center’s opening will be a “soft launch,” Bloom said. The space will be available for LGBTQ youth and allies, but the group isn’t planning a big grand-opening yet.
“It’s not open to everyone in the public,” Bloom said.
Before planning programs or events, Bloom hopes to listen to what the young people have to say and determine what they need from the space.
Since the Boiler Room closed in August 2018, the options for youth who need a place to hang out that’s safe and indoors have diminished.
“There aren’t many establishments where kids can go to spend time without having to buy something,” Bloom said. “That wasn’t the case when the Boiler Room was open. We’re hopeful this space can, not necessarily replace the Boiler Room, but be a place where youth can learn, feel a sense of belonging and have access to mentorship.”
LGBTQ youth in particular are at risk of struggling from issues like homelessness or depression, which is why the group wanted to tailor the space for that sector of the community in Port Townsend.
A 2019 survey of 34,000 LGBTQ youth across the United States done by the Trevor Project showed 39% of those surveyed seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months.
According to Jefferson County’s 2018 Community Health Assessment, more than one in three Jefferson County 10th-and-12th graders reported having used drugs or alcohol and having depression or suicidal thoughts. For 8th-graders, the ratio was 1 in 5. All grades had higher numbers than the Washington state average.
The health assessment survey results also found that since 2007 and 2008, the rate of public school students experiencing homelessness has increased 9% per year on average in Jefferson County. Chimacum School District had the highest number and rate of students experiencing homelessness during the 2017-18 school year.
LGBTQ youth also struggle with homelessness. In a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA, the most frequently cited factor contributing to LGBT homelessness was family rejection based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“We’re not setting out to address any specific issues,” Bloom said. “Rather we hope to improve LGBTQ youths’ general well-being, sense of safety and belonging.”
The center will allow youth quick access to resources regarding how to get help with mental health and housing or help them understand and feel safe in their gender and sexual identity, De Souza said.
The space is not exlusive to just LGBTQ youth; while it is tailored for those who are LGBTQ, it will also be open to any young people who are interested in engaging. But it will also be a bully-free zone, De Souza said.
Olympic Community Action Programs will have a representative at the Rainbow Center to offer resources for youth who might be experiencing homelessness.
“Hopefully, we will be able to attract homeless youth to provide them with food and resources,” De Souza said.
Though the center will only be open one day a week at the start, it is just the beginning of Jefferson County Pride’s plans to help youth in the county.
De Souza hopes to work with OlyCAP and the State Department of Commerce to open a house that would operate similarly to the Lambert House in Seattle, which is an international leader in LGBTQ youth community building. Not only would the house be a space to hold programs and activities, such as mentorship meetings, art classes and more, but it would also help house homeless youth.
The idea is still in the beginning stages. For the moment, Jefferson County Pride’s board of nine community members is searching for more volunteers and advisory board members to help out at the Rainbow Center each week.
“We’re looking for younger people who are over the age of 24, but who can help connect with kids,” De Souza said. “We also need some youth to sit on our advisory board. We need the younger people to give us ideas for programs they want to see at the Rainbow Center.”
Jefferson County Pride’s board meets at 12:30 p.m. at 731 West Park Ave. on the third Tuesday of every month.
The group also needs funds to keep the center up and running. With a $1,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Port Townsend, another $5,000 from the Pride Foundation and the UGN Give Jefferson Campaign, they will be able to keep the center open until August. The group is also applying for a four-year grant of $12,000 with the Robert R. Bergis Charitable Trust.
To learn more about volunteering, donating money or joining the board, visit jeffersoncountypride.org.
