Persad Staff Vote to Unionize Their LGBTQ Mental Health Agency in Pittsburgh

The workers at Persad Center, the LGBTQ mental health and community center founded in 1972, voted affirmatively to unionize with the United Steelworkers (USW) on Thursday, December 5, 2019. The Persad Staff Union now joins the ranks of other white collar workers including the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh employees. That’s an interesting aside given that […]

The Persad Staff Union Q&A

The overworked, underpaid staff who have repeatedly resisted the board and consistently shown that have zero faith in their board leadership. They’ve posted open letters to the board. They have demands. They organized a door decorating contest to demonstrate their cohesion. They value and respect their current Executive Director, Carlos Torres, and seem to believe […]

I Miss When It Felt Good to Be at Persad

Persad Center Delta Foundation Pridefest

I went in for my weekly therapy session today. It is Pride week! I didn’t expect banners or balloons, but I guess I expected some energy and vibes? Instead, it just felt the same as it has for months – a sad place with anxious folks (staff) dealing with a world that does not appreciate, […]

Five Years as a Persad Client

Five years ago today, I began working with the team at Persad Center as a clinical client in addition to my existing community collaborations. Anticipating that things could get complicated by mixing clinical with community, I had resisted this relationship as long as possible. But finding a LGBTQ competent treatment team including a psychistrist had […]

2018 LGBTQ Holiday Giving Projects: Supporting Persad, SisTers Pgh, and Garden of Peace

Every year during this season, I ask you to support particularly vulnerable members of our community. This year, we are once again focusing on Persad Center, but two different populations – isolated rural LGBTQ elders and LGBTQ youth. We have also invited SisTers Pgh and Garden of Peace to be part of our program because […]

PFLAG Pittsburgh Relocates From Shadyside to PERSAD in Lawrenceville

News from PFLAG – they are relocating the meetings back to their original home at Persad Center. I’m a big fan of PFLAG. I went there soon after I came out and have been back many times, as both an attendee and a speaker. PFLAG is often on the ground in communities with no other […]

Persad ‘Art For Change’ Announces Call for Artists

Dear artist friends – Persad Center is currently seeking donations of artwork for the #ArtForChange auction in May. This fundraiser (formerly known as Artfor AIDS) supports many of their critical community programs including the Free Care Fund. It is one of the reasons they are in a position to fiscally sponsor projects like #AMPLIFY and […]

Exciting News for AMPLIFY as We Team Up With Persad

We are thrilled to announce a new direction for the #AMPLIFY project – beginning in January 2017, Persad Center will be our new fiscal sponsor. Persad is the longest running LGBTQ organization in Western PA serving all of the region since 1972. They have a myriad of programs and services, many of which can offer […]

Celebrate the Holidays with Persad, #ReachOUT to Isolated LGBTQ Elders

Send a Card to A Senior Citizen

We are kicking off our annual #ReachOUT project to collect gift cards to support isolated LGBTQ neighbors living throughout the region. Our partner in this effort is Persad Center which hosts the regional chapter of SAGE.  You can read about previous years projects here and here and here. This year, our project has two distinct components. […]

Persad SAGE Program Hosts Tea Dance for LGBTQ Folks Over 50

LGBT Seniors Tea Dance

Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 1:00 AM

A Free Event for LGBT Adults 50+

Western PA SAGE at PERSAD Center presents the Fall Tea Dance for LGBT adults 50+.