The LGBTQ Center Honolulu is a gathering place for Hawaii’s LGBTQIA+ community: hosting meetings, educational programs, trainings, film screenings, talk story events and more.
The Center is located at 310 Paoakalani Avenue, Suite 206E, on the campus of the Waikīkī Community Center. Due to ongoing public health concerns, it is open by appointment only. Please contact Tatiana Kalaniʻōpua Young at Tatiana@HawaiiLGBTlegacy.com for more information.
Organizations that have utilized The LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu’s facilities include: • 2020 Census Complete Count Committee • Aikane Investments • Aloha Bears • Edward Jones • Equality Hawaii • Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network • Gay Men’s Chorus of Honolulu • Hawaii Coalition Against Sexual Assault • Hawaii Gay Flag Football League • Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation • Hawaii Rainbow Chamber of Commerce • Hew and Bordenave, LLP • Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation / Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival • Honolulu Pride™ Parade and Festival • Honolulu Women’s Chorus • Imperial Court of Hawai’i • Kumu Hina Project • Lima Kokua • Mike Enders’ This Town • NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance) • OutServe Hawaii • Sa’Ke Film Group • Self Evident Truths Project / We Are You • US Department of Justice Community Relations Service
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation’s (“the Foundation”) LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu (“The Center”). For more information, please email us at LGBTcenter@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com
Q: Can my organization use the LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu?
A: Any nonprofit organization that serves Hawaiʻi’s LGBTQ+ community may use The Center upon approval by the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation. A short interview with a Foundation board member is usually all that is required to become approved.
Q: What is the cost for using The Center?
A: Usage of The Center is provided as a free service to our community, but donations are appreciated! The Foundation provides The Center free of charge to many organizations, and is run exclusively by volunteers. Your donations will keep our doors open–-even the smallest amount will help!
Q: Upon approval, what is the process of accessing The Center?
A: A refundable deposit of $50 is required to obtain a card key to The Center. The card is issued to an individual, who is personally financially and legally responsible for the card, and for The Center when the card is used. Cards may not be shared or traded. The cardholder must be present for any meetings at which the individual’s card is used for entry and exit to and from The Center. Please follow all card key procedures.
Q: Where is The Center located?
A: The LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu is located at 310 Paoakalani Avenue, Suite 206E on the campus of the Waikiki Community Center (WCC) in Honolulu.
Q: What are The Center’s hours?
A: The Center is open, by reservation only, from 8:30am – 8:30pm, seven days a week, except for holidays. Gates to the parking area are closed and locked promptly at 9pm.
Q: Is there parking at The Center?
A: There are limited parking spaces at The Center for a few cars, but there is ample parking in the Honolulu Zoo lot, an easy two-block walk away. If you wish to park at The Center you’ll need to get a parking pass at the WCC office located at the end of the parking lot before the auditorium.
Q: Are there bathrooms at The Center?
A: There are bathrooms, but their access codes change monthly. Be sure to check in with the board member with whom you make your reservation to get the current codes.
Q: Is The Center wheelchair accessible?
A: Unfortunately, The Center is not wheelchair accessible at this time.
Q: Is there WiFi at The Center?
A: Yes, Wi-Fi is provided free of charge, but the Foundation requests that our guests use the service respectfully.
Q: What kind of audio-visual equipment is at The Center?
A: The Center has a large screen for projection of movies and presentations. Guests are permitted to interface with the projection system using their own devices (iPads, laptops, etc. with their own HDMI cables). Please be respectful of The Center’s equipment. For more information about audio-visual equipment at The Center, please contact us.
Q: Is The Center air conditioned?
A: Yes, The Center has two room air conditioners to help make the space more comfortable to our guests. There are also electric fans and a wall of windows that can be opened to increase air flow. Windows may be opened during use, but must be closed, and AC and fans turned off, prior to leaving.
Q: Is there security at The Center?
A: The Center is equipped with a camera system that is monitored by members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, as well as an alarm system that is monitored by a security company.
Q: May guests bring food and beverages into The Center?
A: Yes, food and drinks are permitted in The Center, but must be confined to the long conference table. The Center does not have regular staff and no cleaning crew. We ask guests to help us please keep The Center clean. Take any trash you make with you, but do not use the Waikiki Community Center’s dumpster. We are not authorized to dispose of trash in the dumpster.
Mahalo and enjoy our LGBT Center!
Click here to use our new online form to make a reservation.
For more information email LGBTcenter@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com
Photo credits: from top to bottom, eXpression! Magazine, The LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu