Our History
Fifty Years of Showing Up
A timeline of the milestones, programs, and moments that made Persad Center who we are today. Since 1972, we have worked to meet the evolving needs of the community.
Timeline
1972
Persad Center is founded in Pittsburgh by Dr. James Huggins and Randy Forrester. Born from an underground LGBTQ+ telephone hotline, Persad becomes the second licensed counseling center in the United States created specifically to serve the LGBTQ+ community. The name combines “personal” and “adjustment.” Our mission is clear from day one.
1982
The CDC formally defines AIDS. While much of the medical and human service community looks away, Persad creates the first AIDS support program in the tri-state area. Co-founder Dr. Huggins develops a professional training program for providers who are actively refusing to treat people living with HIV.
1987
Persad co-founds Pittsburgh's first area council on AIDS and holds our inaugural Art for AIDS auction. A fundraising tradition is born, raising support for HIV/AIDS programming for years to come.
1990
Persad helps found the Pittsburgh PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter, expanding its reach to include the people who love and support LGBTQ+ individuals.
2000
Persad launches a domestic violence intervention program specifically serving same-sex couples, one of the first such programs in the country. The program acknowledges a reality that most domestic violence services were still refusing to address.
2003
Persad receives a Pennsylvania Department of Health license to provide substance abuse treatment services, formally expanding our behavioral health scope and creating a pathway to serve clients with co-occurring needs within the same affirming environment.
2004
A second Persad office opens in Washington, PA, extending affirming behavioral health services to clients throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.
2008
Persad launches senior programming, later formalized as the OWLS program, for LGBTQ+ seniors. Persad is named a regional SAGE affiliate. An after-school program for LGBTQ+ youth launches the same year.
2009
Persad receives a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant to serve runaway and homeless LGBTQ+ youth through street-level outreach, extending our reach beyond our four walls.
2010
Persad launches the Community Safe Zone program across five counties, providing training and resources to combat LGBTQ+ hate crimes, discrimination, and bias.
2015
Persad moves to our current home at 5301 Butler Street in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood, providing expanded clinical space and improved accessibility.
2018
The TransParent support group launches to serve parents, relatives, and friends of transgender individuals, addressing a gap in services for the people who love and support transgender individuals.
2020
Persad launches telehealth services across Pennsylvania in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth becomes a permanent offering, serving clients throughout the state.
2024
Phoenix Fitness opens at Persad's Pittsburgh location as Pennsylvania's first nonprofit gym specifically designed for gender-diverse individuals. Memberships are free. Persad partners with Presbyterian SeniorCare to help develop the first LGBTQ+ friendly apartment building in Western Pennsylvania.
2026
Coming Soon...
You Can Make a Difference
Persad has been sustained by community support for over 50 years. Financial contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteer time all make a direct difference in the care and services we can provide.
Donate
Your gift funds therapy for clients who can't afford it, keeps the food pantry stocked, supports Phoenix Fitness, and helps Persad continue responding when the community needs something new.
Current Needs
In-kind donations of food, hygiene products, fitness equipment, and supplies make a real difference. Our current needs list is updated regularly.
Volunteer
Volunteers support events, outreach, the food pantry, administrative work, and more. If you want to put your time toward something that matters, Persad has a place for you.