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Oakland LGBTQ Center Vandalized During Pride Weekend

The broken out windows of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center following vandalism there Saturday morning.
Oakland LGBTQ Community Center/Instagram

The CEO of the Oakland LGBTQ Center is calling vandalism in the midst of Pride Weekend a "hate crime," saying he believes the building was targeted.

Hawkins said this is not the first time the center, which he co-founded in 2017, has been vandalized. In fact, it happened during Pride last year.


Hawkins believed it was again targeted this weekend.

Oakland Police are investigating. They have not yet made an arrest.

"As an organization that is founded and led by Black queer people, we clearly understand that so much more needs to be done in the East Bay to help LGBTQ+ residents, particularly Black/African American, African, Indigenous, Latino/Latinx, and Asian LGBTQ community members, to feel safe and supported and to know how to report hate crimes," an emotional Instagram post from the center said.

Hawkins said the center already has raised enough money through crowdsourcing to replace the windows.

View this post on Instagram

HELP US SUPPORT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN OAKLAND, ALAMEDA COUNTY AND IN THE EAST BAY! Yesterday, after our office was violently attacked, we were left wondering why and what we should do next to keep ourselves safe while continuing to serve our community. We believe that our message this Pride Month should specifically shine a spotlight on the needs of the LGBTQ residents of Oakland and Alameda County . As an organization that is founded and led by Black queer people, we clearly understand that so much more needs to be done in the East Bay to help LGBTQ+ residents, particularly Black/African American, African, Indigenous, Latino/Latinx, and Asian LGBTQ community members, to feel safe and supported and to know how to report hate crimes. How can we do everything possible to keep our LGBTQ community as safe as possible in Oakland and in Alameda County. There must also be increased awareness among public officials and the general public, about how the combination of homophobia, transphobia and racism, negatively impacts the health and wellness of our community as a whole. Oakland residents please contact your City Council representative and ask them what are they doing to support the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center and other organizations in Oakland and the East Bay that support LGBTQ+ people and issues effecting us. https://www.oaklandca.gov/departments/oakland-city-council Contact your Alameda County representative and ask them what are they doing to support the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center and other organizations in our county that support LGBTQ+ people and issues effecting us. https://www.acgov.org/board/ The few LGBTQ focused nonprofit organizations that exist in the East Bay are usually poorly funded and often lack the necessary resources to operate effectively or to sustain efforts to meet the many unique service needs of our community. Please join us in advocating for funding from the City and County to support our LGBTQ youth, people of color, transgender people, elders, those with physical limitations, people living with HIV, people in recovery and other marginalized members of our community. And for those of you who can, please donate to the Oakla

A post shared by Oakland LGBTQ Community Center (@oaklandlgbtqcenter) on Jun 28, 2020 at 8:26am PDT