Center On Cottage Grove Woodlawn Community 6323 S. Cottage Grove
Center on Halsted partnered with five black and Latinx LGBTQ-serving organizations in summer 2022 to build their infrastructure and capacity to serve additional people on the south side living with or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS as well as host community events. The newly opened Center on Cottage Grove, in Woodlawn at 6323 S. Cottage Grove has its official open house on Aug. 25 in an event hosting political and community leaders as well as representatives of community and LGBTQ organizations.
Center on Cottage Grove is designed to be an anchor for a network that will deliver innovative, community-specific outreach intended to reduce stigma among local BIPOC LGTQ populations. The partnership, led by the Center, connects those most vulnerable to peer-to-peer education, non-clinical testing, wellness resources, and affirming community events.
“We have partnered with these area organizations for years. The Center further formalizes our network and cooperative work for the Southside plus it provides a much-needed meeting space for these groups to utilize within the community,” said Center on Halsted CEO Modesto Tico Valle.
Valle added that the Center, which is directed by newly hired Betty Akin, also will be dedicated to advancing the “Getting to Zero Illinois” plan addressing HIV rates and underwritten in part by a grant from the Pritzker Community Health Initiative. The Center also started a series of Southside MPV vaccine clinics, in partnership with local medical provides, in August as an additional service to the community.
Participating partners in the network are: Affinity, ALMA Chicago, Chicago Gay Black Men’s Caucus, TaskForce Chicago, and TPAN. Many of the groups already are utilizing the Woodlawn Community location.
“The staff of Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus appreciates working with Betty Akins to utilize Center on Cottage space for our Caucus Core meetings. It’s a convenient space for the community to get together. We look forward to working with COCG in the future to coordinate more events,” said Harold Greenwood, board chair of Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus.
