Cutting a rainbow ribbon, Rivanna Area Queer Center opens in Charlottesville

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - It’s a first for Charlottesville, the Rivanna Area Queer Center just opened its doors.

“These days, in particular, queer folks are so much more under threat, so much more precarious” RAQC Board Member Ellie Picard said.

This opening comes at a time when visibility and safety aren’t just important, Picard says, they’re urgent.

The team behind RAQC spent months planning, prioritizing creativity, freedom, and safety.

“We need to foster some optimism, and I think when you’re going through a difficult circumstance, I think having hope is critical,” RAQC Board Member Blake Walker said.

Hope and community fueled the idea. Walker says the vision started in Fall 2024, with input from across the community.

“We sat down and said ‘okay, we want to build this thing.’ All these differences in considerations, safety, security—that’s huge,” Walker said. “How are we gonna account for people’s safety, figuring out the logistics of the space, how can we make a space that can accommodate a variety of functions and a diversity of functions?”

The space is designed to be flexible, a place for events, support groups, and connections to resources.

In a city with a complicated history, Picard says, this is a step forward.

“If the rest of the world is on fire and falling apart, at least this is something, this is okay, and we’ll work out from there,” Picard said. “We’ll sort of spread out until Charlottesville is safe, and Charlottesville feels okay.”

Lilly Bryer, the Interim Executive Committee Chair says, the center fills a gap that’s been widely felt. A place to be seen, a place to be safe, a place to exist.

“Realistically, we just need a space to exist, and we’re trying to build that as much as possible a space where everybody can show up and be who they are, and would feel safe and comfortable,” Bryer said.

The RAQC is more than just a space for Bryer; it’s a declaration.

“We’re here, we’re queer. We’re not going away,” Bryer said.

Another committee member agreed and looked ahead to the RAQC’s future.

“Let’s make this everything that you want it to be.”

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