HRC to Open “Pop-up” Action Center and Store in Palm Springs
The Human Rights Campaign – U.S largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organisation – is excited to announce the opening of a “pop-up” Action Center and Store in Palm Springs, CA. Opening on January 28, the Action Center and Store will operate through Memorial Day weekend, serving as a catalyst for LGBT activism for thousands of Coachella Valley residents and tourists.
“We strive to give prospective grassroots LGBT activists the tools they need to make a difference,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “By opening a new Action Center and Store in Palm Springs in the height of the city’s tourist season, we will reach thousands of people who want to lend their voices to the fight for equality.”
To honour the new Action Center and Store and the relationship with the Palm Springs community, HRC is partnering with Desert AIDS Project. HRC will debut a new tee and donate $10 from every tee sold to purchase a quick result HIV test kit that helps Desert AIDS Project continue to offer free and confidential HIV testing.
“We’re grateful to HRC for their support of keeping HIV testing free and confidential, in spite of recent losses of state funding for prevention and education,” said David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project. “We welcome their support and wish them the best with this new venture here in Palm Springs.”
The store was the inspiration of long-time HRC board member and local businessman, Andy Linsky.
“The Valley is one of the nation’s most welcoming communities for LGBT people and our allies. It is a perfect fit for HRC to be in Palm Springs to inspire and empower people to fight for their rights,” said Linsky. “I am particularly thrilled about our partnership with Desert AIDS Project, one of the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS service organisations and an institution beloved by many here.”
The HRC Action Center and store will open its doors at 388 ½ North Palm Canyon Drive in Uptown Palm Springs on a bustling block already vibrant with restaurants, bars, galleries, and boutiques, with a soft opening on January 28. A grand opening ceremony will be held in February.
The new Palm Springs store, along with our other three locations in Washington D.C., San Francisco, CA, and Provincetown, MA, offers a unique fusion of education and grassroots advocacy with HRC’s signature merchandise. Each HRC Store features an in-store Action Center that is a source for information on the work of HRC and on how to get involved with the organisation. In addition to keeping LGBT people and allies informed on national issues, these locations engage advocates to push leaders at all levels in support of equality. One hundred percent of every purchase from the stores goes back to the fight for LGBT equality.