Equality Community Center - ECC

🎬 FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING 🎬

Join Pink Haven and the Equality Community Center on Saturday, June 6th for a free screening of Heightened Scrutiny.

🗓 Saturday, June 6
🕓 Screening at 4pm
📍 Equality Community Center
💬 Community conversation to follow
🍿 Snacks & beverages available

This urgent documentary follows ACLU attorney Chase Strangio - the first openly trans person to argue before the Supreme Court - as he challenges Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.

At a time when trans rights and lives are under attack, Heightened Scrutiny examines the dangerous impact of anti-trans media narratives and the real-world harm they create.

🎟 Seat reservations strongly encouraged - reserve your spot online at https://eccmaine.org/film

💖 Donations encouraged to support Pink Haven’s mutual aid efforts helping trans and non-binary people relocating to Maine for safety and support.

Join us on June 15th for the Pride Month Blood Drive and Wellness Fair! 🩸💪💖

We have been working closely with the Southern Maine Chapter to plan a blood drive that is inclusive, and affirming for the LGBTQ+ community. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

Reserve your spot to donate and learn more at https://eccmaine.org/calendar/blooddrive

Know your rights as a tenant. 🏠⚖️

Join us for a free legal education workshop focused on understanding and protecting your rights as a renter. 

Thursday, May 21 | 4pm
at the ECC

Presented by the Alpha Legal Foundation’s Legal Access Navigators

Learn the basics of leases, how to spot potential issues early, and what steps you can take to advocate for yourself in housing situations. This accessible workshop will leave you with practical tools, increased awareness, and more confidence navigating tenant challenges.

Free and open to the community.

Register online at https://eccmaine.org/rights  (link in bio)

Join us tomorrow for an important community conversation on the history and ongoing impact of the FDA’s discriminatory blood donation policies targeting LGBTQ+ people. 🩸🏳️‍🌈

This educational forum will explore how these policies have shaped public health, stigma, and q***r lives for decades — and where we go from here.

Featuring:
-Jerry M Dale Jr (keynote)
-Mario Brown
-Dr. Waseem Anani
Moderated by Jono Anzalone

📍 Glickman Library, USM Portland Campus
🗓 Tuesday, May 19
⏰ 5:30–7:30pm

💻 Virtual & in person
🤟 ASL interpreted
♿ Wheelchair accessible

Register: tinyurl.com/bloodbans

Community Resources from and

Hosted by the and ***rlyme

🌈 DRAG BINGO: PRIDE EDITION 🌈

Drag Bingo is back at the ECC for Pride Month with laughs, prizes, performances, and community!

📅 Sunday, June 7
⏰ 2–4pm
📍 ECC • 15 Casco St, Portland
🎟 Donate what you can to play
🔗 https://eccmaine.org/calendar/pride-bingo

Hosted by Ophelia Johnson with special guest Mama Martini ✨
Bring your dauber and get ready for fabulous prizes, outstanding drag performances, and snacks.

All proceeds support Equality Commons, Maine’s first affordable LGBTQ+ affirming senior housing community.

Limited free tickets available — email [email protected].

Calling all fun-loving volunteers! June = PRIDE, and we are getting ready to celebrate! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

We have an action-packed month planned, and we need lots of volunteers to help make the magic happen ✨

Feeling crafty? Help us with rainbow crosswalk painting, or staff a craft table at Pride Inside! Want to chat with people in the community about the ECC? Sign up to table at a Pride event - we’ll be tabling at over 10 locations throughout the state! Dance the night away while helping staff The Big Gay Dance Party!

There are all kinds of volunteer options! 🫶

Visit https://eccmaine.org/volunteer and sign up using our volunteer sign up form 📋

Please note locations, volunteer descriptions, travel requirements, dates and times as you consider your involvement!

☀️🎶🎸Summer kicks off next weekend (May 15 &16) with the All Roads Music Festival, Portland’s biggest city-wide music festival!

ARMF is an independently-powered festival with 40+ artists playing across 9 venues in and around the Arts District that celebrates artists, fans, and the spirit that makes Portland special.

🏳️‍🌈✨🏳️‍⚧️This year’s lineup features a strong group of LGBTQ+ artists: The Beaches Momma AngelicaGarcia HIRS Thelma and the Sleaze Sister Ray Pink Lids Jamie O'Sullivan Nova One Ada Bonnevie Glassfishis Freak Phone

🎟️Thanks to the team at ARMF we have 10 FREE two-day GA passes to give away! ($125 value) To enter:

✔️Follow the ECC page
✔️Tag a friend
✔️Reshare this post
Winners will be notified on Sunday evening!

At its core, this festival is about creating space for diverse voices and building something that reflects the community around it - so very aligned with the mission of the ECC!

This week, we’re kicking off a new Know Your Rights series in partnership with ! ⚖️

Sign up for Thursday’s workshop on Navigating Public Benefits, or join us for any of our other regular programming! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

View full details and more events on our website at eccmaine.org/calendar (link in bio) 🔗

Knowledge is Power 🏳️‍🌈⚖️🏳️‍⚧️

Know your rights—and how to use them. Join us for a free LGBTQ+ Know Your Rights Workshop Series, hosted by the Equality Community Center and Alpha Legal Foundation Alpha Legal Foundation, and funded by a grant from the Maine Justice Foundation.

Whether you’re navigating housing, employment, public benefits, or identity documents, these sessions are designed to give you clear, practical information in an affirming space.

Upcoming Workshops:

📌 Navigating Public Benefits
Thursday, May 7 | 5:30PM @ ECC

📌 Tenant Rights
Thursday, May 21 | 4PM @ ECC

📌 Employee Rights
Wednesday, June 10 | 4PM @ ECC

📌 Identity Documents for Trans & Non-Binary Mainers w/ MaineTransNet
Tuesday, June 24 | 5:30PM @ ECC

All are welcome. Come to one or attend the full series!

🔗 Register now: https://eccmaine.org/rights

The ECC and our friends are well represented at the Spring Fling! Come say hi…we’re here till 1:30.

Happy Le***an Day of Visibility! 🧡🩷🤍

Le***an is the first letter of LGBTQ+ for a reason, they’re the backbone of our community. ✨

Send this to your favorite le***an 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩