New Era for William Way LGBT Community Center as Darius McLean Takes the Reins Amid Tumultuous Year.
Darius McLean, the newly appointed executive director of William Way LGBT Community Center, has been navigating uncertainty surrounding the organization's future after a tumultuous year marked by plans to sell its space and close down. McLean, who first visited the center in 2006 during a field trip with his high school in Gloucester County, was inspired by that initial experience to join the team as an active leader last July.
As he settles into his new role, McLean is planning to prioritize community outreach, aiming to issue a needs assessment survey to key partners by June. This initiative aims to identify how LGBTQ+ individuals are being served across the city and host a town hall meeting to address concerns and gather feedback.
The shift in focus from renovation plans to expansion of existing programs is a deliberate move for McLean. "I don't necessarily think growth means, 'Oh, let's just keep adding programs,' but how do we improve the programs that are already existing?" he stated, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement.
McLean brings valuable experience to his new role, having previously worked as director and chief operating officer at the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center within William Way. During his tenure there, he expanded financial assistance for marginalized queer residents and advocated for equitable workplace practices such as pay transparency.
As William Way celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, McLean hopes to continue championing inclusion and empowering individuals within the community. His goal is to create a space of growth, both internally and externally, with his community, while facilitating access to resources and support.
With McLean at the helm, William Way LGBT Community Center is poised for a new era of growth and development, one that prioritizes the needs of its LGBTQ+ community members and focuses on creating a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Darius McLean, the newly appointed executive director of William Way LGBT Community Center, has been navigating uncertainty surrounding the organization's future after a tumultuous year marked by plans to sell its space and close down. McLean, who first visited the center in 2006 during a field trip with his high school in Gloucester County, was inspired by that initial experience to join the team as an active leader last July.
As he settles into his new role, McLean is planning to prioritize community outreach, aiming to issue a needs assessment survey to key partners by June. This initiative aims to identify how LGBTQ+ individuals are being served across the city and host a town hall meeting to address concerns and gather feedback.
The shift in focus from renovation plans to expansion of existing programs is a deliberate move for McLean. "I don't necessarily think growth means, 'Oh, let's just keep adding programs,' but how do we improve the programs that are already existing?" he stated, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement.
McLean brings valuable experience to his new role, having previously worked as director and chief operating officer at the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center within William Way. During his tenure there, he expanded financial assistance for marginalized queer residents and advocated for equitable workplace practices such as pay transparency.
As William Way celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, McLean hopes to continue championing inclusion and empowering individuals within the community. His goal is to create a space of growth, both internally and externally, with his community, while facilitating access to resources and support.
With McLean at the helm, William Way LGBT Community Center is poised for a new era of growth and development, one that prioritizes the needs of its LGBTQ+ community members and focuses on creating a more inclusive and supportive environment.
he's def brought some stability to the center after all that drama last year. i mean, 50 yrs old and still going strong? that's somethin to be celebrated! so instead of sellin the building, they're focusin on expandin existing programs? makes sense to me. we need more support for our marginalized queer residents 
and mclean's all about that life. i'm lowkey hyped for this new era @ William Way LGBT Community Center 
... I think it's great that he's prioritizing community outreach and gathering feedback from key partners, it shows he's all ears and wants to make sure the center is meeting the needs of its members 
I think what's really cool about Darius McLean taking over as executive director is how he's shifting the focus to really listen to the community and improve existing programs 
. It's easy to get caught up in making big changes, but at the end of the day, it's all about ensuring that everyone has access to what they need 
. It's also awesome that he's prioritizing community outreach and gathering feedback – that's how you build trust and create real change 
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. The needs assessment survey is a great idea, too - I hope they get some valuable feedback from the community 
. And 50 years of being around is no joke, so it's good that they're taking this new era thing seriously 
, I remember hearing about William Way back in the day when my friends used to go there for support, it was like a safe haven for them. And now with all the uncertainty surrounding the center's future, it's good they're refocusing on their existing programs and outreach efforts 
. I think it's great that Darius McLean is prioritizing community outreach and gathering feedback through a needs assessment survey by June 
. As someone who's passionate about social justice, I love seeing organizations like William Way LGBT Community Center prioritize inclusion and empowerment for marginalized queer residents 
.
. It's all about continuous improvement, you know? Like, what's already working, and how can we make it better? 
. McLean brings some serious experience to the table, having worked with queer residents in need before 
. It's gonna be awesome to see them put those skills to use and create a space where everyone can thrive 
. I love how he's shifting the focus to community outreach and continuous improvement - it's all about serving the people, you know? 
. And with his experience at Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center under his belt, I'm confident he'll bring some real progress to the table 
. He's not just gonna bring in new stuff, but make sure they're improvin' what they already got too 
.
. I'm excited to see how his plans unfold and hope they actually get some of those survey results by June 
.
. McLean brings so much experience and passion to the role, and his goal of creating a space of growth both internally and externally is exactly what the community needs right now 
. I'm hyped to see how he'll prioritize community outreach and improve their services to better serve LGBTQ+ individuals in the city 
. It's awesome they're shiftin' focus from renovatin' plans to expandin' existing programs! I mean, it's all about improvin' what's already workin', right?