The LGBT Center of Raleigh has a new leader, and she is the first woman of color in the position since the nonprofit organization was founded almost 30 years ago.
What You Need To Know
The LGBT Center of Raleigh has named a new leader
Patricia Corbett is the first woman of color to be the face of the center, which has been open for more than 30 years
Corbett has big plans for the center, including working on a multimedia project that preserves stories of people in the LGBTQ community
“There is so much to do. But it is so much excitement surrounding my new position,” said Patricia Corbett, executive director for the LGBT Center of Raleigh.
She says her new role speaks to who she is as a person, and she has more than 20 years of experience in community service.
“What led me to the LGBT Center of Raleigh, was my interest in education, advocacy and working with a community that's often underserved, as a member of LGBTQ community, it is like gold to be able to work for very people who are like you and to be able to serve them in a way that you want to be served,” Corbett said.
She is the first Black woman to be the face of the center, a first she says is important to LGBTQ people of color.
“That shows, that the center is now ready for us to lead in a different way and to take the center work in another new direction. It doesn’t mean that we exclude any communities, what it means is we become more inclusive,” Corbett said.
She's originally from Virginia and has lived in North Carolina for more than eight years. Her staff are preparing for a small meet-and-greet with the center's volunteers.
She wants to build a community in Raleigh, the Triangle and beyond.
“I see my position at the center who creates the bridges, catalysts to bring us together. My role as a community leader, at the center, provide programs, services, look after community, follow what's happening in politics and how it impacts us, follow what's happening within local government, how it impacts us, wellness and COVID, monkeypox, our job is to make sure info gets to our community, ability to know where to go, we provide direction as to how to get there,” she said.
Corbett's passion for advocacy comes from her parents, who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement. And in the next year, Corbett is working on a multimedia history project where she will bring together members of the LGBTQ community, multicultural and multigenerational, to preserve their stories and highlight the advancements made in the community.