About Us

Our Mission

To enrich the lives of the diverse LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, support, education, and celebration.

Our Vision

The LGBTQ+ community is embraced and celebrated as an integral part of the thriving Northeast Ohio region.

Our Values

We strive for excellence in programming and all aspects of our work.

We are committed to being welcoming to all people.

We will conduct all aspects of our business with compassion and integrity

We will be proactive in addressing community needs within our mission.

We believe partnerships and collaboration with community stakeholders enable us to enhance our work for constituents.

Our History

1975
Foundation of GEAR
The Gay Educational and Awareness (GEAR) Foundation was created to research human sexuality and sexual orientation, educate the public, provide mental & physical health, and social services to the homophile community. GEAR operated out of the home of Art MacDonald and published the High Gear newspaper, sponsored a gay hotline and speaker’s bureau, provided limited services in spaces at St. John’s Episcopal Church and the Free Clinic
1977
Our First Location
GEAR signs a lease to rent space for a community center in University Circle, but University Circle then reneges on the lease. Following this setback, GEAR opens the GEAR Gay Community Center of Cleveland in a three-room suite on the third floor of the Coventry Yard Mall Building. Less than a year later, this space and all of its content are destroyed in a devastating fire and it is decided that the community center will be moved into downtown.
1983
First Executive Director
Increased support from memberships and foundations allow the organization to hire its first executive director, Vincent Bluett. Increased funding also allows a wide variety of new programs to support the community.
1988
The Lesbian/Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland
GEAR renamed itself the Lesbian/Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland additionally, The Living Room and Presence and Respect for Youth in Sexual Minority (PRYSM) programs opened. The Living Room supported people with HIV/AIDS at the height of the epidemic. It had its own entrance so people seeking support were not stigmatized. PRYSM provides innovative social supports for LGBTQ+ youth.
1989
First Cleveland Pride
Pride 89: An Out of the Closet Experience is the first full-scale Pride in Cleveland in many years. This was the first grassroots Pride to pull together the entire community outside of the W 29^th Street location of The Center. In 1990, Pride added a parade/march. Cleveland Pride and Pride in the CLE trace their roots back to this celebration.
2000
Move to Gordon Square
In 2000, The Center moved into its current location in the basement of the Gordon Square Arcade. This more than tripled office and program space.
2005
New Name
In 2005, our current name, The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, was officially adopted.
2015
Angel Donor
An anonymous angel donor made a dream come true with a $1.8 million gift—the largest donation in The Center’s history. The purpose of the donation is for the Center to construct a new facility and increase staffing and program capacity. To date, this generous donor has given $4.9 million so the LGBTQ+ community could come together in a new, visible, modern and adaptable facility.
2017
Ground Breaking
After years of fundraising, community forums, and careful planning, The Center breaks ground on its new facility in the Gordon Square Arts District.
2019
Our New Home
In June of 2019, The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland opens the doors to its new home, a state of the art 15,000 sq ft space for the community to continue advocating, supporting, educating and celebrating our rich diverse past, present and future.

1975
1977
1983
1988
1989
2000
2005
2015
2017
2019

1975
Foundation of GEAR
The Gay Educational and Awareness (GEAR) Foundation was created to research human sexuality and sexual orientation, educate the public, provide mental & physical health, and social services to the homophile community. GEAR operated out of the home of Art MacDonald and published the High Gear newspaper, sponsored a gay hotline and speaker’s bureau, provided limited services in spaces at St. John’s Episcopal Church and the Free Clinic
1977
Our First Location
GEAR signs a lease to rent space for a community center in University Circle, but University Circle then reneges on the lease. Following this setback, GEAR opens the GEAR Gay Community Center of Cleveland in a three-room suite on the third floor of the Coventry Yard Mall Building. Less than a year later, this space and all of its content are destroyed in a devastating fire and it is decided that the community center will be moved into downtown.
1983
First Executive Director
Increased support from memberships and foundations allow the organization to hire its first executive director, Vincent Bluett. Increased funding also allows a wide variety of new programs to support the community.
1988
The Lesbian/Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland
GEAR renamed itself the Lesbian/Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland additionally, The Living Room and Presence and Respect for Youth in Sexual Minority (PRYSM) programs opened. The Living Room supported people with HIV/AIDS at the height of the epidemic. It had its own entrance so people seeking support were not stigmatized. PRYSM provides innovative social supports for LGBTQ+ youth.
1989
First Cleveland Pride
Pride 89: An Out of the Closet Experience is the first full-scale Pride in Cleveland in many years. This was the first grassroots Pride to pull together the entire community outside of the W 29^th Street location of The Center. In 1990, Pride added a parade/march. Cleveland Pride and Pride in the CLE trace their roots back to this celebration.
2000
Move to Gordon Square
In 2000, The Center moved into its current location in the basement of the Gordon Square Arcade. This more than tripled office and program space.
2005
New Name
In 2005, our current name, The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, was officially adopted.
2015
Angel Donor
An anonymous angel donor made a dream come true with a $1.8 million gift—the largest donation in The Center’s history. The purpose of the donation is for the Center to construct a new facility and increase staffing and program capacity. To date, this generous donor has given $4.9 million so the LGBTQ+ community could come together in a new, visible, modern and adaptable facility.
2017
Ground Breaking
After years of fundraising, community forums, and careful planning, The Center breaks ground on its new facility in the Gordon Square Arts District.
2019
Our New Home
In June of 2019, The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland opens the doors to its new home, a state of the art 15,000 sq ft space for the community to continue advocating, supporting, educating and celebrating our rich diverse past, present and future.

1975
1977
1983
1988
1989
2000
2005
2015
2017
2019

Phyllis Harris

Executive Director (She/Her)

A Cleveland native, Phyllis "Seven" Harris has nearly two decades of leadership experience in local nonprofits, includes program management and development, fundraising, and senior-level executive positions. For many years, she also has played a strong role as an advocate in Cleveland’s LGBT community.

Previously Ms. Harris worked at Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio, where she oversaw youth engagement programming. She has served as director of education and advocacy with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, was vice president of programs and interim CEO with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland, and capital campaign director at the Cleveland Sight Center. Her involvement with Cleveland nonprofit leadership includes roles on the governing boards of the LGBT Center, SPACES, and Community Shares of Greater Cleveland.

Ms. Harris holds a master’s degree in non-profit management from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin Wallace College. She lives in Shaker Heights and is the proud mother of two children.