We Are Family (WAF), one of South Carolina’s leading LGBTQ+ youth-serving organizations, today announced the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the We Are Family Community Center— the first dedicated LGBTQ+ community center in the Charleston area. The event will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, in honor of the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a defining moment in LGBTQ+ history.
Event Details:
- Saturday, June 28, 2025
- 4:00 PM
- We Are Family Community Center, 3265 N. Carolina Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405
- Ceremony followed by open house, celebratory drinks hosted by Bar Polari
Weather permitting, the ceremony will be held outdoors in front of the new center. The event will include remarks from Mayor Reggie Burgess of North Charleston, who has confirmed his attendance, alongside key community leaders and partners.
“The opening of the We Are Family Community Center is not just about creating a physical space – it’s about creating possibility," said Domenico Ruggerio, Executive Director of We Are Family. "It’s about building a home for LGBTQ+ youth and our extended community to gather, organize, and thrive together. This is a milestone decades in the making.”
The We Are Family Community Center is more than just a building— it's a vision brought to life: a centralized hub for LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, families, and allies to gather, organize, heal, and celebrate.
In a first for the SC Lowcountry, the center will also house key local LGBTQ+ organizations, including the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) and Charleston Pride, making it a powerful coalition space rooted in collaboration and community. Together, these partners will expand access to affirming resources, programming, and advocacy under one roof.
“AFFA is honored to be part of this historic collaboration,” said Christian Bryant, Board Chair of the Alliance for Full Acceptance. “By joining forces under one roof, we’re expanding access to affirming services, building deeper coalitions, and showing our community what LGBTQ+ solidarity truly looks like in action.”
“The Community Center is a game-changer for the Charleston LGBTQ+ community,” added Mollie Soto, President of Charleston Pride. “It's a place where we can connect across generations, identities, and movements – and we’re proud to stand alongside our partners in creating this vibrant, inclusive space.”
The decision to open the center on June 28 is no coincidence. This date marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, when LGBTQ+ individuals— led by Black and brown trans women— rose up against police violence and systemic discrimination at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. That uprising sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement and ignited a global call for dignity, visibility, and justice.
“In a moment when LGBTQ+ youth across the South are facing unprecedented attacks, this center stands as both a sanctuary and a strategy – a space rooted in care, joy, and collective power,” added Ruggerio.
The Community Center is a living extension of that legacy. In a time when LGBTQ+ people, particularly youth and trans individuals, continue to face legislative attacks, social isolation, and barriers to care, the center stands as an act of resistance, refuge, and radical love.
Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to:
- Tour the new Community Center
- Enjoy celebratory drinks hosted by Bar Polari, a stone’s throw away from the Center
- Engage with local LGBTQ+ leaders, youth, and partner organizations
All are welcome to attend. The event will also include opportunities to connect with staff, volunteers, and fellow supporters.