LGBT Life Center

06/05/2026

What does survival look like?

Sometimes, it looks like friendship turning into love. A partner sitting beside you through chemo. Showing up for doctor’s appointments. Holding each other through uncertainty. Choosing, every day, to keep going.

Today, on Long-Term Survivors Day, we’re honored to share the story of Gregg and Ruth.
Together, they reflect on aging with HIV, navigating disability and cancer, finding joy, and the power of community support. Through it all, their message is clear: don’t give up.

As Ruth says, “Through it all, I’m still surviving. I’m still here.”

And as Gregg reminds us: “You’re never out of options.”

Because long-term survivors aren’t just part of HIV history — they are living history. Their stories remind us what resilience looks like, what love can carry us through, and what it means to keep living when you were told you wouldn’t.

Thank you, Gregg. Thank you, Ruth. ❤️

🎥 Watch their story below as part of our Long-Term Survivors Day series.

06/05/2026

When Shay was first diagnosed with HIV, she was navigating addiction, survival, and a life that often felt uncertain.

She talks openly about fear, healing, learning to care for herself, and the people who helped her find her way, including a doctor who mentored her, encouraged her, and helped save her life.

Today, on Long-Term Survivors Day, we’re honored to share Shay’s story.

For Shay, survival has meant choosing herself. Taking the medication. Doing the work. Helping others. Refusing to let HIV define her future.

As Shay says: “It’s a part of my life, but I’m not gonna allow it to dictate my life.”

Because long-term survivors aren’t just part of HIV history; they are living history. And their stories remind us what it means to keep living against all odds.

Thank you, Shay, for sharing your honesty, vulnerability, humor, and heart. ❤️

🎥 Watch Shay’s story below.

06/05/2026

Right now, local food banks are running low on canned goods, and our Pride Pantry is seeing the impact firsthand.

For many, this pantry is how they make it through the week. Seniors, folks facing food insecurity, families, and neighbors landing on hard times rely on these shelves to stay stocked.

We urgently need donations of:
🥫 Canned goods
🥣 Shelf-stable meals
🧼 Personal care items
🍼 Baby supplies
🥛 Shelf-stable milk & juice

Every donation matters. A few extra items in your grocery cart can make a real difference for someone else.

If you’re able to give, now is the time. ❤️

06/05/2026

Right now, local food banks are running low on canned goods, and our Pride Pantry is seeing the impact firsthand.

For many, this pantry is how they make it through the week. Seniors, folks facing food insecurity, families, and neighbors landing on hard times rely on these shelves to stay stocked.

We urgently need donations of:
🥫 Canned goods
🥣 Shelf-stable meals
🧼 Personal care items
🍼 Baby supplies
🥛 Shelf-stable milk & juice

Every donation matters. A few extra items in your grocery cart can make a real difference for someone else.

If you’re able to give, now is the time. ❤️

LGBTLifeCenter

06/05/2026

💖 Dust off the look, text the group chat, and get ready to dance.

Our friends at the Norfolk Storm Womxn’s Rugby Club are hosting Q***r Prom: a night to celebrate community, joy, self-expression, and getting the prom you deserve. ✨

📅 June 13 | 9 PM
📍 Wells Theater, Norfolk
🎟️ Grab tickets at the link in our bio.

Third-party community event shared for awareness.

***rProm ***rJoy

06/05/2026

💖 Dust off the look, text the group chat, and get ready to dance.

Our friends at the Norfolk Storm Womxn’s Rugby Club are hosting Q***r Prom: a night to celebrate community, joy, self-expression, and getting the prom you deserve. ✨

📅 June 13 | 9 PM
📍 Wells Theater, Norfolk

🎟️ Grab tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/queer-prom-tickets-1986133867864?aff=oddtdtcreator

Third-party community event shared for awareness.

***rProm ***rJoy

Grab your friends, dress to impress, and get down to your fave music at Q***r Prom!

06/05/2026

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Michelle Reed, who will be honored with the Individual Changemaker Award at the 2026 Legacy Awards Breakfast, part of the Conference on R.E.S.T. (Racial Equity & Social Transformation) hosted by the YWCA South Hampton Roads.

Michelle’s leadership, commitment to equity, and dedication to community have made a lasting impact, not only here at LGBT Life Center, but across Hampton Roads. This recognition reflects the care, advocacy, and heart she brings to this work every day.

Please join us in congratulating Michelle on this well-deserved honor! 💜

The Legacy Awards Breakfast will take place June 10 at Virginia Wesleyan University and will also feature a fireside chat with Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too. movement.

Congratulations, Michelle, we’re lucky to be on this journey with you. ✨

06/05/2026

Fresh produce. No cost. No eligibility requirements. 🌽🍅🌈

Join us for the Pride Fresh Market, a monthly pop-up offering free fruits and vegetables sourced from local farms through the foodbank.

Whether you’re stretching your grocery budget, looking for fresh produce, or simply want to stop by, this market is open to everyone.

📍 Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library
🗓️ Monthly Fridays | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
🍎 June 12, July 10, August 7, September 4, October 2

Because access to healthy food matters. 💜

Supplies are limited, and the market may end early if items run out.

06/04/2026

What if losing housing meant losing healthcare? For many people living with HIV, that’s not hypothetical.

HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS) helps people stay housed, connected to care, and healthy. It helps someone keep the lights on while managing chronic illness. It helps seniors age with dignity. It helps young people rejected by family have somewhere safe to go.

And it works.

🏠 99% of people receiving HOPWA housing support through LGBT Life Center remained stably housed.

💊 79% of households receiving rental assistance showed improved viral load outcomes.

💜 For many clients, stable housing makes healthcare, employment, and hope possible.

Housing is healthcare.

Swipe through to learn what’s at stake for Hampton Roads and why preserving HIV housing support matters.