BALTIMORE — Maryland Safe Haven, an organization dedicated to providing a welcoming environment to the LGBTQIA+ community, now has a new environment to welcome people into.
The Dr. Senator Mary Washington Building, named after the first openly LGBTQIA+ senator in the state of Maryland.
"We can no longer allow for just some of us to be okay and think that 'oh we'll get you all later,' and so I particularly have been committed and felt a responsibility that I had to, I needed to stand by and to this work," says Dr. Senator Mary Washington.
WATCH: New housing facility opened to support members of LGBTQIA+ community
The new facility offers transitional two-bedroom housing units, common spaces, workforce development, food and hygiene services, and more.
On Friday, at the official ribbon cutting, some Baltimore City officials spoke about the importance of supporting this community.
"This is a welcoming city. We believe deeply in our diversity, we are not going to walk back any of our values, and we love all of our communities right here in Baltimore," says Zeke Cohen.
And state officials as well, like Housing Secretary Jake Day, who attended on behalf of the Moore administration.
"We support ending that sort of discrimination in housing, in healthcare, in services, and in all of the things that every single human being who calls this country home deserves," says Secretary Day.
Iya Dammons, the Executive Director of Maryland Safe Haven, says having this building is not only a huge step for providing care for LGBTQIA+ people, but it is also a dream come true.
"We did not fall, bend, or break. We took a moment, we regrouped, and guess what? Those pioneers in community got it right. So I love you all in community, as I tell you all over and over again, without you all, Maryland Safe Haven is nothing," says Dammons.
Others say the grand opening came at the perfect time as the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of Pride.
