The Brooklyn Pride Center has closed its Bed-Stuy location after seven years, and some say they no longer have a safe place in their neighborhood.
Annalisa Myer is a member of the queer community and told News 12 that the Brooklyn Pride Center is her home.
“I’m in the middle of transitioning right now and I started testosterone. I’m in the process of having breast surgery, so it’s really helpful for that social support,” Myer said. “You have to remember that it’s hard to get to certain parts of Brooklyn when there’s only this center here because Brooklyn is such a big borough.”
The center said it had no choice but to close as renovations to Restoration Plaza are set to begin. It said it is fully prepared for the transition and has moved all of its services and programs to the Crown Heights location.
“We’re still here, we’re still serving Brooklyn the same way we did before, and it’s just one place, and at the end of the day, the community we’ve built will be here,” Jere Keys said.
Some of its members said the place was more than just a center, it was a family for the queer community.
“I’m concerned about the outreach and the effort to really engage and communicate with the greater Brooklyn area, but also New York City in general, if this location is the only one we have,” Myer said.
Residents told News 12 that the Pride Center in Bed-Stuy was their first home for more than five years, but they are excited to see what comes next.
