Affirmations Community Center Names Tracy Hall as Permanent Executive Director

Affirmations Community Center Names Tracy Hall as Permanent Executive Director

• Center announces three-year strategic priorities meant to expand service offering and accommodate more than 30,000 yearly visitors
• Affirmations recently recognized individuals who embody the organization’s mission at its 2025 Aff FIVE Award Ceremony

FERNDALE, Mich., September 25, 2025 – Affirmations Community Center, Michigan’s largest LGBTQ+ community center which serves as an educator, advocate and incubator of queer culture, connection and resilience, today announced the hiring of Tracy Hall (she/they) as its permanent executive director. 

Hall joined the Center in late 2024 and served as Affirmations’ first Deputy Executive Director, before being tapped to serve as Interim Executive Director role after the departure of former Board President and then-Executive Director Cheryl Czach earlier this year.

“I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time,” said Hall. “Affirmations is committed to building a strong and sustainable organization that not only honors our history, but positions us as a consistent, statewide leader and a long-lasting home for the LGBTQ+ community. Together, we will strengthen programs, reduce inefficiencies and build on our trauma-informed peer-to-peer care model and design principles to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.”

Background and Experience

Hall brings a deep history and a strong record of service in Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community to Affirmations. Prior to joining the Center in 2024, Hall served as Executive Director of OutFront Kalamazoo, and also previously served as a Kalamazoo County Commissioner.

Hall had the distinction of serving under Affirmations’ two most recent Executive Directors, Antonio David Garcia (during his tenure at OutFront Kalamazoo), and Czach. This enabled them to gain direct experience in organizational strategy, community partnerships and fundraising.

Hall holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Western Michigan University, and spent 17 years as a college educator. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Hall’s leadership in the state’s largest LGBTQ+ center represents both a homecoming and a continuation of their lifelong commitment to equity and inclusion.

Hall was unanimously appointed at the Affirmations Community Center’s Board of Directors August meeting, before signing a three-year contract with the organization.

Organizational Priorities:

In close consultation with the Board of Directors and Affirmations staff, Hall has identified three critical areas to prioritize over the next three years during a turbulent time for the LGBTQ+ community.

Over the next three years, Affirmations will prioritize:

• Expanding access to behavioral health services to meet rising demand for affirming, trauma-informed mental health care.
  
• Strengthening youth and adult programming, enabling the organization to continue its storied legacy of leadership development, support groups and wellness initiatives.
  
• Deepening its role as a hub for Metro Detroit’s LGBTQ+ community, offering the more than 30,000 individuals each year safe, affirming spaces to connect, heal and thrive.

Hall, with their proven track record in fundraising, leadership experience and a drive to reduce inefficiencies while strengthening trauma-informed care, has already begun working with Affirmations’ staff to align the team toward this new mission. 

“Tracy Hall is a visionary leader whose experience and leadership has enabled her to make an immediate impact as our permanent Executive Director,” said Brandon Gleaton, co-chair of the Affirmations Community Center Board of Directors. “She is the ideal person to continue the legacy of Affirmations, as well as lead us during a historically challenging time for our community. We invite everyone to join her in shaping this new chapter for our organization, ensuring it remains a vibrant and inclusive home for generations to come.”

Aff FIVE Awards

At an awards ceremony on Sunday attended by community members, stakeholders, elected officials and Affirmations members, Affirmations handed out its Aff FIVE Awards, which recognized individuals and collectives who inspire the Center’s mission and embody the heart of its work. 

Award recipients included:

Outstanding Collective Spirit Award – Beth Singer and Tom Murphy

Volunteer of the Year Award – Gabriel DeLong

Michigan LGBTQ+ Philanthropy Award – Baddie Brooks

Community Leadership and Impact Award – Emme Zanotti

David Antonio Garcia Community Hero Award – Affirmations’ Youth Advisory Council

The David Antonio Garcia Community Hero Award, named after the eponymous long-time Executive Director, is Affirmations’ most prestigious. This year’s recipient, the Affirmations Youth Advisory Council, consists of eight youth ages 14-19 who help guide the Center’s programming. Council members commit to a year of participation and, during their tenure, develop leadership skills, provide key insights that influence Affirmations’ mission, participate in monthly gatherings and more.

“This year’s Aff FIVE Award recipients represent our strongest class yet, and we are honored to recognize the extraordinary impact these key individuals and collectives make on the LGBTQ+ community and our organization,” said John Stanaszek, co-chair of the Affirmations Community Center Board of Directors. “We were especially honored to present the David Antonio Garcia Community Hero Award to our Affirmations Youth Advisory Council, who collectively represent the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders and changemakers.”

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About Affirmations Community Center

Founded in 1989, Affirmations serves Southeast Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community with a clear mission: to offer a safe space for individuals of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and cultural backgrounds. Affirmations is Michigan’s largest LGBTQ+ community center and one of the ten largest LGBTQ+ centers in the country.
Every year, Affirmations serves more than 30,000 individuals who come to the Center for volunteer-led programming, behavior and physical health services and/or to build community. To learn more about Affirmations, please visit goaffirmations.org.