The LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin marks its 10th anniversary this October, and it’s certainly been a milestone of a year. They held their eighth annual “Equality Prom” for LGBTQ high schoolers in the spring and were key advocates with the successful passing of a ban on conversion therapy in Racine. They also gained more recognition within the state of Wisconsin through their sponsoring of Greta Neubauer’s bill that would ban the gay and trans “panic” defense used to defend physical assault. The Center’s interim board vice president, Shelley Hickman, took time to sit down and discuss the Center’s work throughout the past few years and what she hopes for the future.
How did you become a part of the LGBT Center?
My wife and I attended the center’s Valentine event in February of 2019 at Uncork’d. We had been looking for a community for a long time, so we decided to give it a shot. We’re extremely grateful that we did because we found a community that has been open, accepting and amazing.
How has your experience in the business world aided the work that you do now?
When I got involved with the center in May, I joined the board. I have 20 years of experience in corporate leadership and three years of experience running my own business in Racine. A big part of what I do is community-based, but I’m able to leverage the experiences I’ve had in my career to help put processes and systems in place at the center.
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What is a typical day like at the center?
Every day at the center is different, but the one thing that’s in common is community is always first. We work on programs at the center regularly that support the people we’re there for. Sometimes, we are out in the community, executing or delivering those programs. Other times, we’ll have a person in crisis walk into the center and we have to deal with that crisis in the moment. We’re constantly providing a safe place for people to come to in times of need and in times of celebration.
What effect has the LGBT center had on the City of Racine in these past 10 years?
The center has had a tremendous impact on Racine. The thing that’s been amazing to see is that the center was first opened to provide a place for the LGBTQ community to get together. It quickly became a place where people went for help. The leadership in the past ten years has done an amazing job of providing those services. With the help of the current leadership in Racine, we’ve had remarkable progress in reaching so many more people.
What would you say is the organization’s biggest accomplishment?
We’ve had some pretty significant accomplishments in the advocacy arena; we’ve had the ban on conversion therapy passed, we completed safe zone training for a lot of corporations and the Racine Unified School District throughout the year. It helps to educate and provide awareness of what our community is up against and how we can help them feel more included. However, I would say one of our greatest accomplishments is not only being here with 10 years under our belt but being here with a really strong plan to be here for many years to come.
What does the future look like for the center? What are some future goals?
The future for this center is bright. There are a lot of great people involved with the work that we do every day and we have phenomenal leadership in our executive director, Barb Farrar. Our future goals are to continue developing programs that provide a safe place that the LGBTQ community needs to thrive and to continue to expand our outreach beyond Racine. We support Racine, Kenosha and Walworth County, as well as Lake County, Ill. So, how do we get into the community where the needs are the greatest? I see that as being part of our future plan.
For more information, visit lgbtsewi.org.
