"Before Sergio Ardila joined the board of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, he was one of its clients. Ardila, who describes himself as a recovering addict, attended his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting at the center in 2022, through its Rainbow Recovery program, and received rental assistance from the organization during a period of unemployment. "My story with the center is very personal," Ardila said. "I got involved to give back what the center has given.""
"The center was forced to lay off about half of its staff earlier this year, about 16 of 32 employees, according to Bay Area Reporter, a free weekly newspaper serving the LGBT communities in the Bay Area. Though the federal grants only made up a portion of the center's annual budget - which Hawkins said was around $4 million last year - President Donald Trump's anti-DEI executive orders have strained LGBTQ organizations and put pressure on philanthropic giving."
Sergio Ardila transitioned from client to board member after receiving recovery support and rental assistance from the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. The center lost $600,000 in federal funding after being deemed "not in alignment with the administration," which led to scaled-back services and eliminated rental assistance. More than 4,000 people relied on the center, which reduced mental health and addiction treatment services and lost HIV prevention funding. The organization laid off roughly half its staff, about 16 of 32 employees. Federal grants were a portion of an approximately $4 million budget, and anti-DEI policies strained funding and philanthropy. Leaders are seeking new grants and community support.
Read at The Mercury News
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