LGBTQ Businesses & Organizations in White Plains, NY
Explore LGBTQ businesses and organizations in White Plains, NY serving your community. Find law firms, medical practices, restaurants, retail stores, nonprofits, cultural organizations, and community services owned by or dedicated to serving the LGBTQ community. Connect with establishments that understand your cultural values and provide services in your language.
Michael has practiced for 20 years as a licensed clinical social worker, and holds licenses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. He works with adults facing anxiety, depression, substance use, challenging medical conditions, and life transitions — including the LGBTQ+ community, and active-duty service members and their families. His approach is client-centered, holistic, and culturally sensitive, drawing on a variety of therapeutic methods to fit each person's goals. He has extensive experience working with gay men across identity, relationships, coming out, and the unique stressors gay men may face.
Founded in 1983 by the Lesbian Task Force of Southern Westchester NOW and the Gay Men's Alliance of the Hudson Valley, The LOFT LGBTQ Community Center emerged from a simple yet powerful vision: to create a safe, affirming space for the LGBTQ community in White Plains, NY. Named for its original location in an actual loft space above a grocery store on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, The LOFT has grown from a discreet gathering place into Westchester County's first and only comprehensive LGBT center. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1993, the organization has remained steadfast in its mission to advocate, educate, and celebrate the LGBTQ community. Guided by core values of respect, inclusivity, opportunity, and integrity, The LOFT provides a welcoming environment where everyone is respected, supported, and valued. The center fosters awareness of issues affecting the community while serving as a forceful advocate for justice and positive change for all LGBTQ people. With its mantra "Come for the community. Stay for the connection," The LOFT in White Plains embodies a commitment to broadening knowledge about and for the LGBTQ community while celebrating its past, present, and future contributions to society. Today, The LOFT continues its legacy of service through diverse programming, meaningful relationships, and unwavering dedication to creating an inclusive, affirming community where every member of the LGBTQ family feels they belong.
PFLAG Westchester represents a compassionate community of parents, families, and friends united in celebrating the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities within our White Plains, NY neighborhoods and beyond. Founded on the belief that every person deserves respect and equality, our organization embodies a vision where human diversity is not just tolerated but genuinely valued and celebrated. We understand that discovering or supporting a loved one's LGBTQ identity can bring complex emotions and questions, which is why we've created a safe harbor where these conversations can happen without judgment. Our monthly support meetings bring together individuals from across Westchester County who share similar experiences, creating meaningful connections and fostering mutual understanding. What sets PFLAG Westchester apart is our commitment to meeting people where they are in their personal journeys. We recognize that acceptance and understanding develop at different paces for different people, and our supportive community honors that reality. Beyond our local chapter, we're part of a national movement working toward systemic change—advocating for policies and practices that protect the rights and dignity of LGBTQ individuals. Our members are everyday people—parents who want to better understand their children, friends seeking to be better allies, and LGBTQ individuals themselves—all working together to build a healthier, more inclusive society. PFLAG Westchester welcomes anyone who shares our vision of a world where all people can live authentically and fully.
A curatorial conversation with Lee Sessions, Karen Jaime, C. Ondine Chavoya and David Evans Frantz
In conjunction with Teddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of Art, this curatorial talk brings exhibition curators C. Ondine Chavoya and David Evans Frantz into dialogue with Karen Jaime, historian and Associate Professor of Performing and Media Arts and Latina/o Studies at Cornell University, moderated by Permanent Collections Associate Curator at El Museo del Barrio Lee Sessions.
The galleries will remain open for extended evening hours, giving visitors time to experience the exhibition before and after the conversation.
Moving between the queer Chicane communities and cultural spaces of Los Angeles and histories of Latine life in New York, the conversation will consider how bars, clubs, streets, homes, and artistic networks become spaces for gathering and exchange. Together, the panelists ask: What happens when queer people make space for one another, and what kinds of art, politics, relationships, and communities become possible within those spaces?
A reception will follow the conversation.
Co-presented by El Museo del Barrio and Independent Curators International.
There is simply nothing like PolyEsther; just ask any of the 800 guests from last year's sold-out party. This year we are going queerer, kookier, & kinkier. That means we are partnering with House of Yes in Brooklyn to throw the largest and most epic Queer Purim Party for All.
Come through the looking glass and experience two huge dance floors, immersive performances in every corner, and a Purim wonderland where you definitely won't be able to tell the difference between Esther and Mordechai! Craving a Bris Station / Circumcision Salad bar? We got you. How about a Drag Shtreimel Petting Zoo? We got that. Crazy costumes are advised, but there will be makeup and masquerade corners for last minute makeovers. Of course, for anyone too uptight, there will be plenty of poppers.
Purim is the ancient Jewish holiday where getting drunk, high, and silly is the main commandment. This year it falls on a Monday night, which means you might want to already call in late for work on Tuesday. Tuesdays come every week, Purim is once a year. Don't miss out.
The Blackyard Collective “Black Love” Gala — Celebrating 10 Years of Black Queer & Trans Recovery**
Join us for an unforgettable evening of elegance, joy, and liberation as The Blackyard Collective commemorates a decade of Black queer and trans recovery, resilience, and community care. For ten years, BYC has created Black space, cultivated Black connections, and conjured Black joy—trailblazing a community where our stories matter, our brilliance is centered, and our healing is sacred.
This year’s Mardi Gras–themed Gala invites you into a world of color, celebration, and Black queer magic. Think feathers, beads, bold glam, and all the vibrancy that Mardi Gras traditions offer—from pageantry to second-line spirit. Expect a night overflowing with culture, rhythm, and unapologetic abundance.
Hosted at The Center, this formal celebration welcomes guests to embody Mardi Gras elegance in Black & Gold attire, honoring both New Orleans pageantry and BYC’s tenth-anniversary glow-up.
The Gala also serves as a fundraiser for the 2026 BYC National Conference, the first-ever international gathering dedicated to Black queer and trans recovery. Your presence, your contribution, and your spirit help ensure that this historic convening becomes a transformative space for hundreds across the diaspora.
Event Highlights
Mardi Gras–themed celebration of Black queer & trans brilliance
Performances, tributes, and reflections honoring 10 years of BYC
Black & Gold masquerade moments, photo ops, and festive elegance
Community social hour, dancing, and decadent celebration
Opportunities to support the 2026 National Conference
Tickets
In-Person Tickets:
$50 • $75 • $100
(Sliding scale – all proceeds benefit the 2026 BYC National Conference)
Virtual Attendee Ticket:
$25
(Join the celebration online and support BYC from wherever you are!)
Come dressed in your finest Mardi Gras glam.
Come ready to celebrate Black love in all its abundance.
Come ready to continue creating Black space, building Black connections, and spreading Black joy.
The Blackyard Collective is a registered 501(c)(3) organization (Federal Tax ID # 88-3641425) and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
Michael has practiced for 20 years as a licensed clinical social worker, and holds licenses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. He works with adults facing anxiety, depression, substance use, challenging medical conditions, and life transitions — including the LGBTQ+ community, and active-duty service members and their families. His approach is client-centered, holistic, and culturally sensitive, drawing on a variety of therapeutic methods to fit each person's goals. He has extensive experience working with gay men across identity, relationships, coming out, and the unique stressors gay men may face.
Founded in 1983 by the Lesbian Task Force of Southern Westchester NOW and the Gay Men's Alliance of the Hudson Valley, The LOFT LGBTQ Community Center emerged from a simple yet powerful vision: to create a safe, affirming space for the LGBTQ community in White Plains, NY. Named for its original location in an actual loft space above a grocery store on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, The LOFT has grown from a discreet gathering place into Westchester County's first and only comprehensive LGBT center. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1993, the organization has remained steadfast in its mission to advocate, educate, and celebrate the LGBTQ community. Guided by core values of respect, inclusivity, opportunity, and integrity, The LOFT provides a welcoming environment where everyone is respected, supported, and valued. The center fosters awareness of issues affecting the community while serving as a forceful advocate for justice and positive change for all LGBTQ people. With its mantra "Come for the community. Stay for the connection," The LOFT in White Plains embodies a commitment to broadening knowledge about and for the LGBTQ community while celebrating its past, present, and future contributions to society. Today, The LOFT continues its legacy of service through diverse programming, meaningful relationships, and unwavering dedication to creating an inclusive, affirming community where every member of the LGBTQ family feels they belong.
PFLAG Westchester represents a compassionate community of parents, families, and friends united in celebrating the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities within our White Plains, NY neighborhoods and beyond. Founded on the belief that every person deserves respect and equality, our organization embodies a vision where human diversity is not just tolerated but genuinely valued and celebrated. We understand that discovering or supporting a loved one's LGBTQ identity can bring complex emotions and questions, which is why we've created a safe harbor where these conversations can happen without judgment. Our monthly support meetings bring together individuals from across Westchester County who share similar experiences, creating meaningful connections and fostering mutual understanding. What sets PFLAG Westchester apart is our commitment to meeting people where they are in their personal journeys. We recognize that acceptance and understanding develop at different paces for different people, and our supportive community honors that reality. Beyond our local chapter, we're part of a national movement working toward systemic change—advocating for policies and practices that protect the rights and dignity of LGBTQ individuals. Our members are everyday people—parents who want to better understand their children, friends seeking to be better allies, and LGBTQ individuals themselves—all working together to build a healthier, more inclusive society. PFLAG Westchester welcomes anyone who shares our vision of a world where all people can live authentically and fully.
