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Latino LGBT community center to open in D.C.
Casa Ruby will be a touchstone for the local Latino LGBT community.
A Latino LGBT community services center called Casa Ruby is scheduled to open its doors in D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood ,
according to transgender activist Ruby Corado, the new center’s founder and director.
Corado said the center will operate in a 750-square-foot office space on the lower floor of a converted townhouse at 2822 Georgia Ave.,
N.W. She said the rented office comes with additional outdoor patio space in the rear of the building, which is located a few blocks from the
Columbia Heights Metro station.
“It’s going to be an LGBT center with a primary focus on Latinos, which
is the population that I have been working with,” said Corado, a native
Spanish speaker. “But it’s open to everybody.”
Corado said the city’s existing LGBT Community Center on the 1300
block of U Street, N.W., has been welcoming to the LGBT Latino community.
But similar to most other LGBT groups in the D.C. metropolitan area,
Corado said the existing center lacks Spanish speaking staff or volunteers.
She said a sizable number of LGBT Latinos in the area aren’t fluent in
English.
“Right now there is nothing for the Latino LGBT community that is run by
LGBT Latinos,” Corado said. According to Corado, each of the new center’s
five-member volunteer staff will be fluent in English and Spanish.
David Mariner, executive director of the LGBT Community Center on U
Street, said the Latino GLBT History Project rents office space at the center
and other LGBT Latino groups have used the center’s space for various
activities. He said the center doesn’t have the resources at the present time
to hire a Spanish speaking staff person.
“I love Ruby and look forward to working with her,” Mariner said. Among
other things, Corado said she envisions Casa Ruby as a one-stop
community service center for Latino LGBT people that will provide support
and referrals to other service providers on such matters as immigration
issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, counseling, employment
services and HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
The exterior of Casa Ruby, which Corado says will be named for her because she wants it to feel like a home. (Courtesy photo)
Corado said she decided to use her name for the center’s title to create an atmosphere of support and comfort and a place where people
can socialize as well as seek services.
“I want this to this to sort of be a home,” she said. “I want them to feel this is their place. If they don’t have anything out there for their
needs like a place to stay I want them to come and I will help them find that.”
Corado said she used her own personal funds to secure the lease and finance the start-up of the center. She said she established Casa
Ruby as a project of Latinos En Accion, an LGBT organization she helped to found several years ago as a non-profit corporation with a 501
C (3) tax-exempt status.
Under the structure of the new center, supporters can make tax deductible donations, she said.
She said she has been speaking with D.C. government officials, including officials with the Office of Latino Affairs, over the possibility of
obtaining city grants for various services. Supporters of the center have already donated interior design services and furniture, computers
and a flat-screen TV.
She said Casa Ruby will host a grand opening reception at the center starting at noon on June 6. She is hopeful that Mayor Vincent
Gray will be among the notables attending the opening ceremony.
“I’m using my life savings to sustain this project for the next year,” said Corado. “I’m doing it
because I believe there is a need for it and we can make a difference for the community we’re
all a part of.”
She added, “I want to repeat that although the primary focus is with Latinos, it’s for everybody. That’s why I call it Casa Ruby because many
people know me. And I want people to know that it’s a home for everybody.”
Mariner said the D.C. Center’s effort to seek a larger space in the city’s Reeves Municipal Building less than a block from its current
office moved ahead last week when it submitted its formal bid for the new space. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said.
The center’s bid is part of an official invitation by the city for potential tenants to offer a level of rent they are willing to pay for vacant office
space at the Reeves Building. Mariner said the invitation, or request for proposal (RFP), was open to both non-profit organizations like the
center or commercial businesses such as retail stores or restaurants. He said the center’s bid stresses that the center would provide an
important community service that most businesses don’t offer and the city should give special consideration to granting the center a lease
in the building.
The center is being forced to leave its current space in 2013, when the building in which it’s located will be razed to make way for a new
hotel.
Bienvenid@s A Casa Ruby
My name is Ruby Corado, I am a Latina transgender woman immigrant from El Salvador, I left fleeing a civil war.
Since 1986 DC has been my home. Back then there were few resources for Latino immigrants and absolutely NONE for Latino LGBT.
Something told me in my heart that one day I would provide those resources.
•In 1992, I moved to a small DuPont Circle apartment in a building called The Churchill. It was here that my work as an advocate began. I
met a Latino gay couple, who didn’t speak any English, and I provided translation services when they needed it. One day, I got called to the
hospital, to deliver the news that one of them had full blown AIDS and would soon die.
•Thru The 90′s, I continued to help & translate for my friends and their friends, I had found my true cause in life, as many of them crashed at
my place, I realized that many of them were homeless and the ones that had a place, simply had found a home away from home. My new
family.
Since 1999, this family has grown more and more.
•Today, after 20+ years of precious life experiences with my LGBT family, Latinos and otherwise, I have the opportunity to continue to be
the voice of those who can’t speak for themselves, I have the honor to continue to be in their life and tirelessly work to make their lives
better.
Casa Ruby, is a Multicultural Latino LGBT Community Center, A Resource Center A Recreation Center, A Place You Can Call Home.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME
No matter where you are in your life, if you have nothing or maybe have all the material things but something is lacking, We Want You Here.
With Love,
Ruby Corado
Please visit our website www.casaruby.org & get involved, or visit us at 2822 Georgia Ave NW, DC 20001
Copyright 2012 © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE.
Do not reproduce without citing this source
Latino LGBT community center to open in D.C.
Casa Ruby will be a touchstone for the local Latino LGBT community.
A Latino LGBT community services center called Casa Ruby is scheduled to open its doors in D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood ,
according to transgender activist Ruby Corado, the new center’s founder and director.
Corado said the center will operate in a 750-square-foot office space on the lower floor of a converted townhouse at 2822 Georgia Ave.,
N.W. She said the rented office comes with additional outdoor patio space in the rear of the building, which is located a few blocks from the
Columbia Heights Metro station.
“It’s going to be an LGBT center with a primary focus on Latinos, which
is the population that I have been working with,” said Corado, a native
Spanish speaker. “But it’s open to everybody.”
Corado said the city’s existing LGBT Community Center on the 1300
block of U Street, N.W., has been welcoming to the LGBT Latino community.
But similar to most other LGBT groups in the D.C. metropolitan area,
Corado said the existing center lacks Spanish speaking staff or volunteers.
She said a sizable number of LGBT Latinos in the area aren’t fluent in
English.
“Right now there is nothing for the Latino LGBT community that is run by
LGBT Latinos,” Corado said. According to Corado, each of the new center’s
five-member volunteer staff will be fluent in English and Spanish.
David Mariner, executive director of the LGBT Community Center on U
Street, said the Latino GLBT History Project rents office space at the center
and other LGBT Latino groups have used the center’s space for various
activities. He said the center doesn’t have the resources at the present time
to hire a Spanish speaking staff person.
“I love Ruby and look forward to working with her,” Mariner said. Among
other things, Corado said she envisions Casa Ruby as a one-stop
community service center for Latino LGBT people that will provide support
and referrals to other service providers on such matters as immigration
issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, counseling, employment
services and HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
The exterior of Casa Ruby, which Corado says will be named for her because she wants it to feel like a home. (Courtesy photo)
Corado said she decided to use her name for the center’s title to create an atmosphere of support and comfort and a place where people
can socialize as well as seek services.
“I want this to this to sort of be a home,” she said. “I want them to feel this is their place. If they don’t have anything out there for their
needs like a place to stay I want them to come and I will help them find that.”
Corado said she used her own personal funds to secure the lease and finance the start-up of the center. She said she established Casa
Ruby as a project of Latinos En Accion, an LGBT organization she helped to found several years ago as a non-profit corporation with a 501
C (3) tax-exempt status.
Under the structure of the new center, supporters can make tax deductible donations, she said.
She said she has been speaking with D.C. government officials, including officials with the Office of Latino Affairs, over the possibility of
obtaining city grants for various services. Supporters of the center have already donated interior design services and furniture, computers
and a flat-screen TV.
She said Casa Ruby will host a grand opening reception at the center starting at noon on June 6. She is hopeful that Mayor Vincent
Gray will be among the notables attending the opening ceremony.
“I’m using my life savings to sustain this project for the next year,” said Corado. “I’m doing it
because I believe there is a need for it and we can make a difference for the community we’re
all a part of.”
She added, “I want to repeat that although the primary focus is with Latinos, it’s for everybody. That’s why I call it Casa Ruby because many
people know me. And I want people to know that it’s a home for everybody.”
Mariner said the D.C. Center’s effort to seek a larger space in the city’s Reeves Municipal Building less than a block from its current
office moved ahead last week when it submitted its formal bid for the new space. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said.
The center’s bid is part of an official invitation by the city for potential tenants to offer a level of rent they are willing to pay for vacant office
space at the Reeves Building. Mariner said the invitation, or request for proposal (RFP), was open to both non-profit organizations like the
center or commercial businesses such as retail stores or restaurants. He said the center’s bid stresses that the center would provide an
important community service that most businesses don’t offer and the city should give special consideration to granting the center a lease
in the building.
The center is being forced to leave its current space in 2013, when the building in which it’s located will be razed to make way for a new
hotel.
Bienvenid@s A Casa Ruby
My name is Ruby Corado, I am a Latina transgender woman immigrant from El Salvador, I left fleeing a civil war.
Since 1986 DC has been my home. Back then there were few resources for Latino immigrants and absolutely NONE for Latino LGBT.
Something told me in my heart that one day I would provide those resources.
•In 1992, I moved to a small DuPont Circle apartment in a building called The Churchill. It was here that my work as an advocate began. I
met a Latino gay couple, who didn’t speak any English, and I provided translation services when they needed it. One day, I got called to the
hospital, to deliver the news that one of them had full blown AIDS and would soon die.
•Thru The 90′s, I continued to help & translate for my friends and their friends, I had found my true cause in life, as many of them crashed at
my place, I realized that many of them were homeless and the ones that had a place, simply had found a home away from home. My new
family.
Since 1999, this family has grown more and more.
•Today, after 20+ years of precious life experiences with my LGBT family, Latinos and otherwise, I have the opportunity to continue to be
the voice of those who can’t speak for themselves, I have the honor to continue to be in their life and tirelessly work to make their lives
better.
Casa Ruby, is a Multicultural Latino LGBT Community Center, A Resource Center A Recreation Center, A Place You Can Call Home.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME
No matter where you are in your life, if you have nothing or maybe have all the material things but something is lacking, We Want You Here.
With Love,
Ruby Corado
Please visit our website www.casaruby.org & get involved, or visit us at 2822 Georgia Ave NW, DC 20001
Copyright 2012 © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE.
Do not reproduce without citing this source
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