ORLANDO | In honor of a milestone year, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Central Florida, Inc. is changing its name to The LGBT+ Center Orlando, Inc.
The Board of Directors approved the decision to legally change the name and logo on Jan. 13 at the organization’s annual board retreat. Board members supported the name change as a way to update the organization and The Center’s imprint on the community.
“We’re consistently asked why the letters are switched around, so with the new logo, we thought it was a good time to update the organizations name to be more consistent with the community,” says George Wallace, The Center’s executive director.
The name and logo change mark the organization’s 40-year anniversary, a notable accomplishment for The Center, according to Wallace.
“The anniversary is no small milestone, and we feel it’s important to celebrate being one of the oldest LGBT Centers in the United States,” he says.
While The Center has gone through numerous name changes since it was established in 1978, Wallace says the new name better reflects the expanding community and the organizations history.
“Orlando is still a pretty new community and not many businesses can say they’ve been around as long as we have,” Wallace says. “Most have been around for 10 or 25 years, and we’ve been here for 40. It’s something we want to celebrate.”
The name change isn’t the only way The Center is celebrating their 40 years of operation. An updated members program along with different community events are scheduled throughout the year, including their annual gala which is focused around the 40th anniversary.
The Center’s mission and focus remains the same, striving to provide sanctuary, education and entertainment to the LGBTQ community.
Board of Directors President Jeff Buak says in a press release, “The Board of Directors of The Center is proud to continue The Center’s commitment of serving the LGBT+ community, and look forward to an exciting 2018.”
The changes for the organization are subtle, but positive, according to Wallace. He says Orlando as a community is still constantly evolving and breaking down barriers.
“It’s so important to have an LGBT+ center in the community,” says Wallace. “We’ve been here for 40 years and we’ll be here for at least 40 more.”
