Company Profile
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Company Overview
Our Mission
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center provides sensitive, quality health care and related services targeted to New York’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities — in all their diversity — regardless of ability to pay. To further this mission, Callen-Lorde promotes health education and wellness and advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender health issues.
Company History
Our History
Callen-Lorde’s grassroots heritage dates back over 40 years to the St. Mark’s Community Clinic and the Gay Men’s Health Project, two volunteer-based clinics that provided screening and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases. These clinics merged in 1983 to form Community Health Project, a mostly volunteer-staffed, episodic care program housing the nation’s first community-based HIV clinic.
Michael Callen
(1955 – 1993)
Michael Callen was born in Rising Sun, Indiana, and began his career as a successful composer and singer. In 1982, he was diagnosed with AIDS (then known as Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) and quickly became a leader in the response to the growing epidemic. In 1985, he became a founding member of the People with AIDS Coalition, the first organization to spring from the AIDS Self-Empowerment movement. As a leading authority in the community, Michael was called to testify before the President’s Commission on AIDS and both houses of the United States Congress. In 1990, Michael chronicled the stories of long-term survivors in his book Surviving AIDS. With Peter Allen, he composed “Love Don’t Need a Reason,” and he also founded the Flirtations, an a cappella singing group. Michael continued his work in the community and in music until his death at age 38. He is survived by his partner, Richard Dworkin.
Audre Lorde
(1934 – 1992)
The daughter of Grenadian immigrants, Audre Lorde was born in New York City and wrote her first poem at age twelve. In the 1950’s while at Hunter College, Audre worked as a librarian and educator and became a leader in the early lesbian activist community in Greenwich Village. Her poetry was published regularly throughout the 1960s and 70s and gained wide recognition with the publication of her book The Cancer Journals in 1980, which chronicled her experience with breast cancer. In this groundbreaking work, she examined her own fears, anger, and ultimately, her strength and hope. Her published writings include nine volumes of poetry and five books of prose. Audre was named New York State’s Poet Laureate in 1991 by Governor Mario Cuomo, a post she retained until her death at age 58, after a 14-year struggle with breast cancer. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth and Jonathan, and her partner, Dr. Gloria Joseph.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
The Callen - Lorde Community Health Center is the nation’s leading health care center dedicated to serving the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.