South Bay LGBTQ Center

The South Bay LGBTQ Center provides peer support, community education, and social connection for LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and allies throughout the South Bay region of southwestern Los Angeles County. Incorporated in 1989 as the South Bay Lesbian and Gay Community Organization, the nonprofit maintains a community facility on Crenshaw Boulevard in Torrance. The center serves coastal and inland South Bay communities extending from Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach inland to Carson, Hawthorne, Gardena, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Peer-led support groups form the centerpiece of the center's regular programming. Weekly and bi-weekly meetings offer dedicated spaces for specific community groups, including youth under age 18, young adults, men, bisexual and pansexual individuals, and older adults. Dedicated transgender and nonbinary discussion groups provide a supportive environment to share lived experiences, discuss social and medical transition, and access community resource referrals. Meetings operate on a walk-in, peer-facilitated basis, emphasizing confidentiality, empathy, and mutual encouragement.

Beyond discussion circles, the center organizes social and cultural activities that foster neighborly fellowship, including game nights, movie screenings, holiday potlucks, and community discussions. The facility maintains an information desk offering referrals to affirming mental health counselors, medical providers, and legal resources across Los Angeles County. In collaboration with regional organizations and local academic institutions, the center promotes civic awareness, educational workshops, and inclusive community spaces across the South Bay.