Someone allegedly broke into the Rainbow Center on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma a day before their annual fundraising gala.
Non-suspects have been identified, according to Tacoma Police.
The Rainbow Center says the fight to create safe spaces for the LGBTQ community must continue.
“Our mission is that through education advocacy and celebration to expand resources and safe spaces for the LGBTQ and ally community in the South Sound,” said Tacoma Rainbow Center Executive Director J. Manny Santiago.
For the last two decades, the Rainbow Center has stood as a pillar in the South Sound community.
“This is a space that is safe for the community; this is a space that is welcoming,” said Santiago.
He said he doesn’t want that to be compromised. For safety reasons, the center says it can’t talk about the break in, but they can talk about the impact.
“It’s just that feeling of always being the target of some sort of violence. To feel that our own spaces are being attacked in some way. That makes you feel very uncomfortable, and it also makes you feel that the work that we do is still important,” he said.
Part of that work will be done Friday night at their annual gala at the Tacoma Convention Center.
“This gala is going to be fantastic,” Santiago said. “It’s a black-tie event. People are really excited about coming.”
For 15 years this is a signature event to helps the center serve the community.
“The gala helps us achieve that goal by bringing together the donors and the people who support our work to financially support the work of the center,” he said.
