North Star LGBTQ+ Community Center

North Star LGBTQ+ Community Center serves as the primary community hub and resource anchor for LGBTQIA+ people and allies in Winston-Salem and across the greater Piedmont Triad region. Founded in 2013 and situated in an inviting storefront on Burke Street, the center was established to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals in Northwest North Carolina have a dependable space to gather, build solidarity, and access vital services without fear of judgment. The center works to cultivate belonging, promote education, and strengthen mutual support.

Central to North Star's work is its diverse schedule of free, volunteer-facilitated peer support groups and social gatherings. The center hosts dedicated circles for gender-expansive and nonbinary adults, structured young adult social hours, recovery meetings through the Rainbow Room and Rainbow AA, and a specialized support group for community members with visible and invisible disabilities. Creative and recreational meetups, such as Crafty Queers, tabletop gaming afternoons, and open poetry readings, provide low-pressure avenues to forge friendships and combat social isolation. These groups offer an affirming environment where individuals share life experiences and find trusted peer encouragement.

The center's physical facility houses several essential community resources designed to support everyday needs. The Alice Johnson Jennings Library, established with philanthropic support in memory of a founding patron's mother, offers an extensive lending collection of more than 800 books, DVDs, and reference materials focused on queer history, literature, and culture. The building also features comfortable social lounge areas, public computer terminals, community kitchen facilities, and a gender-affirming clothing closet that supplies free apparel to visitors. Anyone seeking a quiet place to read, study, or connect with peers is welcome during weekend open hours.

Health equity and wellness form a key pillar of the center's mission. North Star partners with the HIV and STI Outreach Section of the Forsyth County Department of Public Health to offer free, confidential on-site rapid testing, barrier protection, and wellness resources. The organization also publishes the Rainbow Directory, an online guide linking community members with affirming healthcare clinicians, mental health professionals, legal advocates, and welcoming local businesses throughout Northwest North Carolina, ensuring access to respectful, competent care.

Governed by an active board of community volunteers and supported by generous local donors and regional foundations, North Star continues to expand its outreach. Through educational workshops, volunteer trainings, and annual benefit gatherings such as Cocktails for a Cause and community Pride cookouts, the center strengthens inclusivity and advocacy throughout Winston-Salem. In addition to adult programming, the organization actively collaborates with local student alliances and youth leaders to ensure that young queer people have positive mentors and accessible social spaces. By maintaining a welcoming physical presence open to all, North Star fosters belonging, promotes civic resilience, and uplifts queer voices across the Piedmont Triad.