Message from the Executive Director: March

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Life at the Center

Joe Halsch, Executive Director

Over the past few months, I’ve started to notice the rhythm of the space at the Jim Toy Community Center. The energy shifts throughout the day, and each part tells a different story about what this place is becoming.

During the day, it’s usually quieter. Two or three people might swing by during Open Door Hours. Someone works remotely for a few hours. Someone stops in to learn more about the Center, ask about resources, drop off flyers, or talk through an idea for a program. Sometimes it's simply a conversation over coffee about how we can reach more people in the community. These moments are small, and they matter. They are often where connections begin.

A few weeks ago, I met a couple who had just moved to Ann Arbor. That happens a lot here, as people arrive for work, school, or a fresh start. We spent some time talking and getting to know what brought them to the area. Like many people new to town, they were looking for ways to meet people and connect with the LGBTQ+ community. By the end of the conversation, we were able to point them toward a few social groups that meet regularly at the Center. It was a small interaction, but it is exactly the kind of moment this space is meant to make possible.

By the evening, the energy shifts again. Groups begin to arrive, and the space fills with conversation and activity. Peer groups gather to support one another. People reconnect with friends they have met through the Center. Others come for the first time, as they look for a place where they can be themselves without having to explain who they are.

The people who walk through the doors do not all share the same experiences or backgrounds. But there is often a sense of recognition when people enter the room. Even though we come from different places, there are common threads in our queerness and in our desire for community.

When we opened this space, we hoped it would become a place where people could gather, organize, support each other, and build something together. Watching the daily rhythm of the Center, from quiet daytime conversations to vibrant evening gatherings, I am starting to see that vision take shape.

And it is a reminder that community is not something we create alone. It grows each time someone walks through the door and finds a place to belong.

— Joe