JANUARY 9,2010

Standing ovation for Comedy Central Star
(Las Cruces) Comedy Central performer Jade Esteban Estrada received a standing ovation for his one man show “Tortilla Heaven” in Las Cruces this Saturday, January 9, 2010. The performance at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2000 S. Solano Dr. was a for benefit New Mexico GLBTQ Centers, a Las Cruces non-profit developing community centers. The 7:00PM bilingual performance was an emotional look at family, life and relationships. The proceeds from the event will be used to open our first community center later this year.

Flagship Regional Center To Open In Las Cruces in 2010
By David Stocum
This center will function as the administrative headquarters for the statewide New Mexico GLBTQ Centers, Inc, and the pilot center for program develop for the six regional centers to be created over the coming years. New Mexico GLBTQ Centers Southern Regional Center will be the first gay and lesbian community center in southern New Mexico.

The previously announced June 2009 opening was postponed due to handicapped accessibility issues with the proposed center building and community concerns regarding sustainability. The Board of Directors decided to return to the originally planned time line and to allow the organizational planning, program development and fund development to be done to insure the sustainability of the centers. Board President Richard Scramstad said, “We were seduced by some opportunities and got away from our original, well thought out, careful planning process.” He continued that, “by returning to that process we will have a better center when we do open in the second half of 2010.”

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers’ vision is for six Regional GLBTQ Community Centers, satellite centers, remote events, mobile outreach to rural areas; quality needs based programs and services, a New Mexico where EVERYONE is equally respected with a model repeatable in other rural states. This vision supports our mission to reduce homophobia and enrich the lives of individuals living in New Mexico who identify as
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning through education, advocacy, support, example and collaboration.

New Mexico GLBTQ Centers is being advised by CenterLink, the national community of LGBT community centers.