Pictured are Ally Styan, Executive Director; Tara Chandler, Board President; and Joshua Kumm, Executive Director. I-RISE is working to create Asheville’s first LGBTQ community center, scheduled to open this summer at 237 Haywood St. in downtown Asheville. The center will serve Asheville’s LGBTQ and supportive community by offering low-cost counseling, HIV testing, a lending library, conference & art gallery space, entertainment, educational programs, a cafe and much more. Ally Styan states, “It has always been disappointing to me that a place like Asheville, having such a high concentration of queer and transgender folk, does not offer more in terms of services to that community. A community center seemed like the perfect way to start addressing the needs of the queer community and to start building stronger ties between like-minded groups and individuals.” For more information, visit www.ashevillequeernexus.org or call 279-3497.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.