The Portal (community center)

The Portal was a Baltimore LGBT community center for LGBT African Americans in the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area.[1][2] It was owned and maintained by Empowering New Concepts, Inc. ENC, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) community based organization established in 2001 by current CEO Rickie Green.[3] Intended as a safe place for LGBT people of color, they offered health and safety information including AIDS awareness.[4][5] The Portal "promotes stronger, more effective same gender loving communities of color through access to quality healthcare and economic and educational services."[6] They served men who have sex with men as well as women who have sex with women.[7]

The Portal
Founded2001
FounderRickie Green
TypeLGBT Community Center
Location
Area served
Baltimore and Central Maryland

History

It was first opened on August 19, 2002, at 302 Park Avenue, 1st floor, and was reopened on September 16, 2004 at 16 South Calvert Street, in the heart of the Financial District, and again on September 1, 2005, at its current location at 2419 Greenmount Avenue Suites 1 and 4.

In 2005 they participated in the amicus brief supporting "Right to Same Sex Marriage in Maryland"[8][9] In October 2005 they were awarded a 2006 Annie E. Casey Foundation Families and Children Grant for their direct services program YBU (Why Be You), a "group level intervention for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth, designed to address homophobia in the schoolsystem".[10][11]

In 2007 they presented "Confronting internalized oppression as a barrier to self-care among Black MSM: The RISE intervention" as part of the 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition of the American Public Health Association.[12]

In 2008 they presented "Building On Our Strengths" at the Black Gay Men/MSM and HIV/AIDS: Confronting the Crisis and Planning for Action technical conference convened by The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD).[13]

In 2009 they organized a HIV Public Forum to coincide with World AIDS Day.[14] They were also selected as a "funded local partner organization" by the NIAID HIV Vaccine Research Education Initiative.[15]

In May 2010, in conjunction with World AIDS Vaccine Day, they presented AESTHETICS: Perception... (& the Eye of the Beholder), theatre, spoken word, music, and dance performances at Maryland Institute College of Art. This was their third year in a row doing so.[16]

See also

References
  1. Michael Dresser, "Diverse performers and views honor King ; King honored with diversity; Parade: A variety of groups brave the cold to remember the civil rights leader and advance their causes.", The Baltimore Sun, January 18, 2005.
  2. Sean Bugg, "Dan Furmansky and Equality Maryland's growing fight for the state's gay and lesbian community", Metro Weekly, May 18, 2006.
  3. Linell Smith, "One More Battle; Gay Boomers, Who Fought Discrimination and Confronted Aids, Face a New Fight as They Grow Old; The Middle Ages; Staying Young, Growing Old and What Happens In Between", The Baltimore Sun, April 1, 2007.
  4. "GLBT Centers", Metro Weekly, 2010.
  5. Jonathan Bor, "Gay Blacks at Highest Aids Risk: Researchers Seek To Explain Racial Disparity Among Gay, Bisexual Men", The Baltimore Sun, December 4, 2007.
  6. "Meet the Newest NHVREI Local Partners", The NIAID HIV Vaccine Research Education Initiative, 2009.
  7. "Empowering New Concepts Inc", POZ Magazine, 2010.
  8. "PJC Files Brief Supporting Right to Same Sex Marriage in Maryland", June 14, 2005.
  9. M. Brooke Murdock-Judge, Gitanjali Deane, et al Plaintiffs v. Frank Conaway, et al Defendants; Circuit Court For Baltimore City, Case No.: 24-C-04-005390.
  10. Sue Lin Chong, "The Annie E. Casey Foundation Announces Grants to Help Baltimore Families and Children in 2006: 32 Local Organizations Awarded Funding to Provide Direct Services", October 5, 2005.
  11. 2005 BDSG Grantees, page 9, Associated Black Charities, Winter 2005.
  12. APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing, "Confronting internalized oppression as a barrier to self-care among Black MSM: The RISE intervention", 3277.1: Monday, November 05, 2007 - Board 5, Abstract #163540.
  13. Black Gay Men/MSM and HIV/AIDS: Confronting the Crisis and Planning for Action Meeting Summary, Alexandria, VA, February 4–5, 2008.
  14. HIV Trials Vaccine Network. World AIDS Day 2009 event listings.
  15. "Meet the Newest NHVREI Local Partners", The NIAID HIV Vaccine Research Education Initiative, 2009.
  16. Bradford McIntyre, "HIV Vaccine Awareness Day - 18 May 2010", 2010.

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