LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to recognize and pay our respects to the Indigenous people of what is now known as the State of Texas upon whose land we are living and working. We honor the Lipan Apache, Mescalero Apache, Piro, Manso, Suma, Jumano, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian Tribe of the Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe, Tortugas Pueblo, the Carrizo & Comecrudo, Coahuiltecan, Caddo, Tonkawa, Comanche, Alabama-Coushatta, Kickapoo, and the peoples of Chihuahua and northern Mexico from whom many of our El Paso area colleagues and friends descend, such as the Rarámuri, Tepehuan, Wixarrika and Nahuatlaca peoples.
We recognize and honor all Indigenous people of Turtle Island and acknowledge their right to this land.
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Our Story
In October of 2015, Dr. Brenda Risch began co-facilitating a support group for the families of transgender youth. When she realized the hosting agency was going to close its doors, she was motivated to develop more resources for LGBTQ people and their families. She launched an LGBTQ Community Needs Assessment to find out what form these resources should take. The findings showed that almost no needs of the LGBTQ+ community were being met. Therefore, she formed a coalition of interested people and launched a campaign to found the Borderland Rainbow Center (The Center).
Within months, the BRC had found a temporary home, had acquired non-profit 501(c)3 status, and established a board of directors. The doors to The Center officially opened on September 2, 2016, on Silver Street. We moved to 2714 Wyoming in May 2017 after outgrowing our first site.
The community needs assessment guided the initial services and activities of The Center:
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provide drug- and alcohol-free social space for queer people;
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provide support groups;
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create meeting space for queer organizations;
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provide educational and cultural workshops;
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create better access to health and mental health services.
We also quickly added food pantry services, since food insecurity is a chronic problem in El Paso.
Our Values
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Respect - we do not practice or permit any discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, veteran status, physical handicap, disability, socioeconomic status, language, or source of income.
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Warmth- we value the power of a friendly greeting and a genuine spirit of helpfulness. We treat all clients with warmth while maintaining professional boundaries.
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Financial transparency and responsibility - Financial misconduct is a preventable failing for any agency. We track and monitor revenue and spending so that as much money as possible supports our programming and services and donor-designated money is used for the desired goals.
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Evidence-based Services/Interventions - We aim to provide services that are effective and and empowering. To this end, we focus on methods and models that have scientific evidence of success - adapting them as necessary to a Borderland context.
About Us
The Borderland Rainbow Center is an LGBTQIA+ Community Center that serves queer people of all ages. We promote healing and empowerment through support groups, therapy on a sliding scale, casework and referrals, and by providing healthy social and educational events. We transform our community through advocacy and training so that allies in the educational, medical, mental health, social services, legal, and business fields are better equipped to serve the LGBTQIA+ community.
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VISIT Us
The Borderland Rainbow Center is located at 2714 Wyoming Avenue, El Paso, TX 79903. We are located very close to the corner of Piedras and Wyoming. If you are coming by bus, take a route that goes through or ends at the Five Points Transit Center - Bay F, Birch. For more info on routes and fares, visit www.sunmetro.net. There is a limited amount of parking in front of our building. If you cannot find parking in front of our building, please look for open spots further down Wyoming, or even on Maple. If you need any further assistance in accessing our building, please call or email us!
Logo
Our logo was designed by Mason Castillo and represents our vision of an equitable world, where all people are given the respect and opportunities to fully realize their potential.