First Ever Hamptons Center For Gay And Lesbian Youth Opens In Sag Harbor

The first-ever gay center in the Hamptons is set to open in Sag Harbor on Saturday.

The new center, the third Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth center, will be located within Old Whaler’s Church in Sag Harbor village will serve as a springboard space while The Network continues to fundraise for a stand-alone, state-of-the-art community center. The Hamptons Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) Center, which aims to offer a safe space for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender residents, will also offer programs and activities year round for seniors, adults and families. It is anticipated that within the first year over 1,000 East End residents will participate in these programs.

The Rev. Mark Phillips of the Old Whalers Church offered up the 44 Union Street location to the LIGALY earlier this year, stating, "The Old Whalers Church has provided space, and continues to provide space, for a lot of different community groups," including the Sag Harbor Food Pantry, six different AA groups, and, up until this past April, the Sag Harbor Youth Center, Phillips said. 

The opening of the Sag Harbor center marks a new era for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender young people who previously had to make a 120 mile round trip journey to LIGALY’s branch in Bay Shore to seek specific counseling. The issue became all the more pressing following the suicide of 16 -year-old East Hampton High School junior David Hernandez Barros this past fall.

“We have always known that a community center was needed on the East End,” said David Kilmnick, PhD, CEO and Founder of the LIGALY.  “David Hernandez Barros’ suicide was an urgent reminder that has mobilized hundreds of people to say ‘we cannot wait any longer – we need a gay center of our own now.’”

The Grand Opening will run from 4 to 6p.m. and will feature a ceremony including remarks from Edie Windsor, the plaintiff in the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling which overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, and also from Carmita Barros’, the mother of David Hernandez Barros’ – both will also help christen the East End’s first GLBT Center at the ribbon cutting. Guided tours of the Hamptons GLBT Center will be provided, and wine and passed hors d'oeuvres all donated by East End Restaurants and wineries will be served.