In 2012, our journey began with Founding Board Chair, Teresa Carter, conducting a Needs Assessment during the PRIDE Winston-Salem march. This assessment aimed to determine if the Triad area required an LGBTQ Community Center. At that time, the absence of such centers in the Triad was evident, especially when Raleigh and Charlotte had already established their own. Determined to make a difference, Ms. Carter visited these centers to learn about starting and funding a new one. The results of the Needs Assessment were overwhelmingly positive, with over 93% of participants expressing a strong need for an LGBTQ Center in Winston-Salem. This crucial support motivated Ms. Carter to begin organizing a Board for the Center in 2012. In a significant step forward, Winston-Salem Equality, another local nonprofit, has agreed to merge with us, enabling a unified effort. The name “North Star Community Center” was chosen, inspired by the first gay comic strip hero, North Star, as well as the navigational importance of the North Star itself.