By Ray Rico
Photos by Vaniel Simmons
A groundbreaking is about what comes next.
At 340 N. Cleveland St., OUTMemphis is marking a new chapter with the official groundbreaking of its new headquarters and community center, a space being developed to expand how the organization serves LGBTQ+ people across Memphis and the Mid-South.
The groundbreaking celebration brings community members, supporters, staff and partners together at the future home of an organization whose work reaches across generations and needs.
For Focus, we wanted to document the moment through the people who were there: the shovels hitting the ground, the conversations between longtime supporters, the faces of staff and community members, and the first look at a site that will eventually become a new gathering place for LGBTQ+ Memphis.
The construction comes as OUTMemphis is already expanding access to its programs. Beginning in September, the organization extended walk-in hours at both its Community Center and Youth Empowerment Center to Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. OUTMemphis said the expanded schedule is part of its move toward broader services and support at the new headquarters.
That work extends far beyond providing a physical place to gather.
OUTMemphis currently offers free and confidential HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing, HIV case management, PrEP and PEP education and navigation, food assistance, basic-needs support, mental health programming, youth services, trans-focused programs and community groups. The organization also connects people with affirming resources throughout the Mid-South.
Its programming reflects the different needs within the LGBTQ+ community. PRYSM provides programming, peer support and resources for LGBTQ+ youth ages 12 to 17 and their caregivers. The Youth Empowerment Center serves LGBTQ+ young adults ages 18 to 24 with community dinners, life-skills programs, craft and movie nights, mental health support and other programming.
Trans-focused programming includes Talk it OUT Tuesdays, created as a supportive space for trans women of color, and C.R.O.S.S., a group for trans-masculine and male-identifying people. OUTMemphis also operates the MailOUT Initiative, which helps trans and nonbinary people in rural areas and communities surrounding Memphis access affirming supplies.
Other programs address needs that may not always be visible at a community event: food insecurity, access to healthcare, transportation, hygiene supplies, clothing, mental health and simply finding other people who understand.
That makes the new building more than a construction project.
It is an investment in the idea that LGBTQ+ people in Memphis should have a place to walk through the door, ask for help, find community, access healthcare resources, attend a group, volunteer, learn something new or simply spend time with people who make them feel welcome.
For now, 340 N. Cleveland St. is a work in progress.
But that is part of what makes a groundbreaking worth documenting.
These photographs capture the space before the rooms are filled, before programs move in and before thousands of future conversations, connections and memories become part of the building’s history.
It is the beginning of what comes next.
OUTMemphis Resource Guide
OUTMemphis currently offers:
• Free and confidential HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing
• PrEP and PEP education and navigation
• HIV+ case management and healthcare referrals
• PRYSM youth programming for ages 12–17 and caregiver support
• Youth Empowerment Center programming for LGBTQ+ people ages 18–24
• Community dinners and food pantry assistance
• Pantry boxes for eligible community members while supplies are available
• Clothing and hygiene supplies
• Mental health and group therapy programming
• Transgender and gender-diverse support programs
• Talk it OUT Tuesdays for trans women of color
• C.R.O.S.S. for trans-masculine and male-identifying adults
• MailOUT affirming supplies for trans and nonbinary people facing geographic barriers
• Book clubs, meditation, art therapy and community gatherings
• Referrals and connections to affirming resources throughout the Mid-Southxz
Current Hours and Locations
OUTMemphis Community Center
892 S. Cooper St., Memphis, TN 38104
Tuesday–Saturday, noon–8 p.m.
901-278-6422
info@outmemphis.org
Youth Empowerment Center
2055 Southern Ave., Memphis, TN 38114
Tuesday–Saturday, noon–8 p.m.
901-672-7594
metamorphosis@outmemphis.org
Cooper Street location is closed Mondays. Free HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing is available during walk-in hours.
For current programs, events, services and ways to get involved, visit OUTMemphis.
