ABOUT STONEWALL COLUMBUS

MISSION. VISION. VALUES. HISTORY.

STONEWALL COLUMBUS SERVES THE COMMUNITY YEAR ROUND, NOT JUST ON PRIDE WEEKEND! WE PROVIDE A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT OFFERS PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES TO ENHANCE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

MISSION: INCREASE VISIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND CONNECTION FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

VISION: AN OHIO WHERE ALL OF US THRIVE.

VALUES: HISTORY. VISIBILITY. INCLUSION. CONNECTION. ACCOUNTABILITY.

STONEWALL COLUMBUS WAS FOUNDED IN 1981 WITH THE GOAL OF “INCREASING THE VISIBILITY AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER (GLBT) COMMUNITY.” DURING STONEWALL’S 40-YEAR EXISTENCE, COLUMBUS, AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED. THE CITY OF COLUMBUS IS NOW THE 14TH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY AND RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

IN ADDITION TO AN EVOLVING ARRAY OF PROGRAMS STONEWALL PRODUCES LAVENDER LISTINGS, A LISTING OF LOCAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FROM LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND COLUMBUS PRIDE; STARTED IN 1981 PRIDE NOW WELCOMES OVER 700,000 VISITORS TO THE COLUMBUS REGION.

AS THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED SO HAS STONEWALL’S MISSION AND VISION–NOW TO “INCREASE VISIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND CONNECTION FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY SO WE SEE A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL OF US THRIVE.”

AS WE FORGE AHEAD, WE WILL…

• ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR HISTORY AS WE BUILD OUR FUTURE BRICK BY BRICK;

• BE VISIBLE, REMINDING THE WORLD THAT WE ARE STRONG, VITAL MEMBERS OF HUMANITY;

• BE INCLUSIVE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LEFT OUT;

• BE CONNECTED, LINKING NEEDS TO RESOURCES AND PEOPLE TO ONE ANOTHER; STAND UP FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AND/OR EXPRESSION, SEX, AGE, RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, MILITARY STATUS, FAMILIAL STATUS; OR DISABILITY.

Programs And Services

STONEWALL AIMS TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE FULL SPECTRUM OF OUR LGBTQ+ RAINBOW, STONEWALL IS A VITAL HUB FOR PROVIDING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

EACH YEAR, THE STONEWALL CENTER WELCOMES OVER 10,000 VISITORS AND PROVIDES CONNECTIONS TO SERVICES FOR NEARLY 40,000 PEOPLE, PRIORITIZING PROGRAMS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US.

STONEWALL IS PROUD TO HAVE 500+ VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNER WITH NUMEROUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION TO PROGRAMS LIKE THE TRAILBLAZERS AND PRIDE OUR STRATEGY WILL ALWAYS BE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH EXISTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY GAPS IN SERVICES THAT WE CAN FILL AND CREATE TIMELY INITIATIVES WHERE STONEWALL’S COMMUNITY-WIDE REACH BRINGS ADDED VALUE.