Galveston’s Pride Center Offers Supportive Space for LGBTQ Individuals
When Brandt Matthew Molitor first stepped into the aging pharmacy building on 39th Street in Galveston, he didn’t just see a neglected property—he saw possibility. A Navy veteran, former educator, and longtime LGBTQ advocate, Molitor imagined a welcoming space where people could be their authentic selves.
That vision has since blossomed into Pride Center Galveston, a community resource hub that officially opened in September 2024 and continues to grow. Built on a foundation of service, inclusion, and support, the center fills a longstanding gap in local LGBTQ resources on the island.
“There just wasn’t a place like this in Galveston,” Molitor said. His goal was to create a space where connection thrives—a vision deeply rooted in his own life of activism, education, and support work for LGBTQ asylum seekers.
Molitor originally purchased the 1924 structure with his former partner. When the relationship ended, he chose to move forward with the project solo. “At first, I thought maybe we’d reconcile,” he shared. “But this has become something I’ve made my own.”
The building itself already had a history of serving the community, previously hosting everything from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to children’s programs. Molitor saw that legacy as the foundation for something new. “It already had good bones when it came to community use,” he said. “The challenge was shaping it for the future.”
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And shape it he did. Pride Center Galveston launched even before the physical space was fully finished. Its first program, the Galveston Gay Chorus, began rehearsing in June 2024 and quickly became a source of joy and support for its members.
“Every week, no matter what kind of day you’ve had, walking into chorus practice resets you,” Molitor said. “It’s that kind of energy we want throughout the center.”
The Pride Center now features a comfortable café-style lounge, a thoughtfully redesigned speakeasy space offering both alcoholic and sober options, and plans for affordable housing upstairs. Former bedrooms are being turned into long-term co-housing rentals, designed for individuals in need—including veterans and people referred by social service agencies.
Molitor explains the approach simply: “It’s about safety in numbers. Shared housing with dignity.”
More than anything, the center is a place for people to connect and build meaningful relationships. “We need deeper friendships and stronger support systems in this community,” Molitor emphasized. “No one can do everything alone.”
That philosophy was born from his earlier work with LGBTQ asylum seekers in Massachusetts, where he and his former partner helped house individuals escaping persecution abroad. “It taught me the power of shared spaces and shared responsibility,” he said.
Now, in Galveston, Molitor hopes the wider community will help the center thrive by hosting their own events and initiatives. “I don’t want to be the one running every program,” he said. “This space belongs to everyone. I want people to take it and make it their own.”
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Located within walking distance of Galveston College and Ball High School, the Pride Center is positioned to welcome a diverse range of locals, from students to seniors. Accessibility was a key consideration in choosing the location. “I wanted it to be a place anyone could get to easily,” Molitor said.
Though the renovation and development process hasn’t been easy—especially doing it without a partner—Molitor says the community he’s built through the center makes it all worthwhile. “This is the first project I’ve led entirely on my own,” he reflected. “It was hard. But now, I’m not alone anymore. I have people here.”
As Pride Center Galveston nears its one-year anniversary, Molitor remains focused on its central mission: connection, inclusion, and friendship.
“At the end of the day, if someone walks through that door and leaves with a new friend,” he said, “then we’re doing exactly what we’re meant to do.”
