Prism United

Prism United is where Mobile's LGBTQ+ young people and their families find connection, care and a place to be themselves. Its mission is to respond to the comprehensive needs of LGBTQ+ youth in southwest Alabama, easing the psychological, socio-economic and academic disadvantages that repression and victimization cause.

The organization grew out of a 2015 effort by Open Table United Church of Christ to start a non-religious peer support group for LGBTQ+ high-schoolers in Mobile. Early gatherings were designed by educators and artists, and teens expressed themselves through painting and creative writing. As the group uncovered broader issues facing LGBTQ+ youth in the area, Open Table supported Corey Harvard and Justin Litaker in creating a nonprofit in 2018, and the teens who would benefit from it chose the name Prism United by vote. Prism Teens expanded to Fairhope in 2019, and in 2021 Prism helped organize Fairhope's first Pride celebration, Color Fairhope With Pride.

Today Prism's staff lead a continuum of programs. Prism Preteens serves ages 10-13 with a virtue-based curriculum developed by a Mobile County educator, and participants earn seven virtue badges in celebratory ceremonies. Prism Teens, for ages 14-18, meets for art, creative writing, games and movement, with guest speakers, catered meals, a private Discord server for teens who cannot easily attend in person, field trips and an annual lock-in. Teens 16-18 can join the Leadership Initiative, choosing pathways such as co-leading an activity, creating content or interviewing an elder, and completing 50 service hours with an advisor. Prism Parents, running since 2019, offers support groups for parents, guardians and family members, with guests such as therapists, educators and legal experts.

Care extends beyond the gatherings. The Prism Healing Network connects youth, young adults and families with affirming providers, and the Prism Healing Fund helps cover therapy and other approved wellness services for people ages 14-24. In 2026 Prism received a $37,500 grant from the Johnson Family Foundation and CenterLink Mental Health Capacity-Building Initiative to strengthen that work. For housing-insecure LGBTQ+ youth, customizable care kits and the Prism Wardrobe provide hygiene products and affirming clothing, and the legal name change program supplies forms, a step-by-step list and document delivery on request.

Prism also brings the community together. Prism Prom gives LGBTQ+ high-schoolers ages 14-18 a supervised, affirming dance, and its 2026 theme was A Night on Olympus. The Come Out Mobile Gala, held since 2019, honors local LGBTQ+ leaders through the Trailblazer Initiative, a video storytelling effort that builds a living archive of the community's history. The Wig Walk, a pub crawl through Downtown Mobile with an After Party open to all ages, is one of Prism's largest fundraisers, and its fourth annual edition is set for Saturday, October 24, 2026.

To take part, email programs@prismunited.org for Prism Teens, Preteens or Parents registration, or healing@prismunited.org about the Healing Fund. Volunteers join facilitator, chaperone, event, nutrition or outreach teams after a quarterly orientation, with the next sessions on December 9, 2026 and March 24, 2027. Gifts and monthly sustaining memberships are accepted at prismunited.org, or by check to 151 S Ann Street, Mobile, AL 36604.