Wingspan is Southern Arizona's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community center. Wingspan is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves Tucson and Southern Arizona. Gifts to Wingspan are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by the IRS.
Wingspan's mission is to promote the freedom, equality, safety and well-being of LGBT people.
Wingspan envisions a community in which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people:
- are treated with dignity and respect.
- live in a community free from violence and abuse.
- live full, healthy, and interconnected lives.
- are free to live openly with pride.
- are celebrated in their full diversity.
- feel part of an organized, supportive, and active LGBT community.
- are empowered to participate fully as active citizens.
Wingspan's values include a commitment to serve the community in accordance of these principles:
- To actively value diversity within and among our communities, including diversity of opinions, beliefs, and values.
- To work toward the elimination of homophobia, heterosexism, racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, and other forms of oppression in our communities and our lives.
- To work toward the eradication of violence in our communities and our lives.
- To ensure that the Community Center is a sober and alcohol-free space.
- To strengthen and build the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
- To promote the empowerment of marginalized groups within the LGBT communities such as youth, seniors, and people with disabilities.
- To engage the community in our work through the promotion of volunteerism.
- To keep the community informed of our actions and decisions.
- To promote social change within and beyond our organization.
- To seek collaboration that furthers our mission with like-minded organizations and individuals, including those that are not specifically lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender.
- To align ourselves with other social justice related causes, including, but not limited to, the anti-violence, civil rights, feminist, and anti-racist movements
Wingspan provides an array of social and community services including (for a more detailed list of our programs, please click here):
- Information and Referral Services provides information about local community resources, groups, activities and events.
- Anti-Violence Project offers crisis intervention and support services to victims of violence and education to the community about these issues.
- Eon Youth Program provides emotional support, social and educational activities, substance abuse prevention, homeless services, and leadership training to youth ages 13-23.
- Health and Wellness provides outreach and information to community members on health disparities while training health providers on LGBT cultural competency issues.
- Senior Pride offers peer-support and social and recreational opportunities for LGBT seniors while also educating service providers about the specific needs of this population.
- Southern Arizona Gender Alliance offers information, support services and social opportunities for transgender people while educating businesses and health and human services providers about transgender issues.
- Advocacy and Public Policy engages the LGBT and allied community in grassroots, community-based social action while strengthening community coalitions and collaborations.
- Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors) provides social and outreach programming that promotes positive awareness for Latino LGBT people.
- Wingspan FilmFest shows high-quality LGBT-themed films representing the diversity of our community that otherwise would not be screened in Southern Arizona.
- Community Space including a free lending library, computer center, and meeting rooms.
