The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority (AFCRA) has announced the steering committee for the Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center Initiative.
The 40-person body brings together non-profit leaders, business executives, grassroots organizers, and neighbors to work with Malik Brown, the managing director of the community center initiative, and AFCRA staff to advance the planning, development, and early implementation of the Center. The committee will meet monthly through 2027 to offer expertise and cultivate donors.
Paul Conroy and Dr. Alie Redd will co-chair the committee. Conroy is the founder and producing artistic director of Out Front Theatre Company, and Dr. Redd is the executive director of Covenant House Georgia.
AFCRA also welcomed Cameron Quadagno as the Fall Fellow, a Georgia Tech student who will build the framework for the forthcoming Community Needs Assessment, the next phase of our ongoing research and community engagement.
AFCRA conducted a yearlong study in 2025 on the feasibility of developing an LGBTQ+ Community Center in Atlanta. The study included a community survey and events that gathered feedback from identity groups such as trans Atlantans, Black community members, and arts leaders.
The organization presented the study’s findings to the City of Atlanta late last year, but how much funding the city will commit to the project is still unknown.
Earlier this summer, the Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center Initiative team moved into a new office at the CTR in Downtown Atlanta where the staff and Steering Committee will do the administrative and operational work of the Initiative.
Related story: AFCRA expands team to support Atlanta LGBTQ+ Community Center
