INDIANAPOLIS—By the end of 2024, the Damien Center, which describes itself as Indiana’s oldest and largest AIDS service organization, is set to open a new location on East Washington Street and Oriental Avenue. This marks not only a physical expansion but an expansion of the organization’s mission to serve and protect Indiana’s LGBTQ+ community—a legacy predated by the building itself.

The impetus for the expansion was twofold, said Damien Center President and CEO, Alan Witchey: to accommodate the increased number of clients (which doubled, going from 4,000 to 8,000 in the past year) and to combat anti-LGBTQ sentiments propagated by the state legislature.

“With all of the recent political attacks in Indiana and across the country, it’s more important now than ever that we provide that kind of safe environment,” said Witchey.

“It is not uncommon for people for the LGBTQ community to disproportionately face unemployment … because they may not feel safe, but also, all these attacks have created a culture and environment where people can act negatively and can act really discriminatorily against LGBTQ people.”

The nonpartisan Center for American Progress found in 2022 that half of U.S. LGTBQ adults had faced workplace discrimination and about a third had experienced housing discrimination. More than half said recent laws restricting LGTBQ and trans rights had negatively impacted their mental health.

Before the Damien Center bought the building, it was home to two gay bars, Witchey said: Zonie’s Closet and Illusions, which each held the space for about 15 years.

“Collectively, this has been an establishment for the LGBTQ population, drag shows, and other individuals in the community to really go socialize, meet friends and make connections to other people,” said Witchey. “And it has been a very important role because that’s not always easy for the LGBTQ community because it’s not always safe to go and meet people in a traditional setting. “

Witchey mentioned that Zonie’s Closet specifically hosted fundraisers and events in hopes of making Indiana a safer place for LGBTQ people. Because of this, the prior owners wanted to ensure they passed the space on to an organization with a similar mission.

“They really wanted us to have the ability to really work to negotiate to try to make sure that we would do something that would continue to honor and recognize the LGBTQ culture and community in an important way,” Witchey said.

And recognize the community they shall. Plans for the new building include housing an Employment and Education Center, a coffee shop, a shared work space, various employment training programs, resume building workshops, programs to help find housing and more, all to provide care for individuals living with HIV, low-income individuals, and LGBTQ people of color (who have a higher risk for contracting HIV).

The center also plans to host larger social events at night, such as drag shows, poetry and band performances, and fundraisers, to support the community in a variety of ways just as the bars did.

In doing this work, Witchey said he and other employees have faced backlash, such as online hate and threats. Nevertheless, the Damien Center has remained undeterred, providing services to 73 counties in 2021.

“This kind of program is more important, now more than ever, because people need to know that there’s somebody on their side helping them get through, to actually gain stability and increase their income and stability,” Witchey said.