OGDEN, Utah — There's something new to see along Washington Boulevard in Ogden's historic downtown — a colorful space that's now home to Encircle's fifth LGBTQ+ youth center, giving local teens a place to connect and belong.
Encircle, a LGBTQ+ youth and family center, first opened in Provo in 2017. Encircle already has facilities in Provo, Salt Lake City, St. George, and Heber City. The Ogden location is the first from-the-ground-up build. With the support of donors and builders, a bare hillside has been turned into a welcoming place to belong.
The center provides therapy, support groups, and events like art and music nights. The center includes a music room, art room, therapy room, a "friendship circle room" for facilitated conversations, a kitchen, dining area, and an outdoor patio.
When Ryan Sanders came out at 17 years old in 2022, they were searching for a place to call home. And they found it at Encircle. "Having this community and realizing that we're all very similar, we're all just people going through this together," Sanders said. "It really changed who I am."
The building was originally expected to be completed by early 2022, but factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and supply-chain issues, slowed down the process.
"You see it just come over them with how this space just exudes love and acceptance," Birdsall-Chambers said.
Chambers says acceptance is vital. The Trevor Project shows that 42% of LGBTQ+ youth in Utah considered suicide in 2024, and 11% attempted. But research shows that having a supportive adult can reduce that risk by 40%.
"We know that could literally save that youth's life. Just that one caring adult to say, 'I see you, I hear you, I love you.' It's needed; we need to help save these kids," Chambers said.
Encircle contributed $1 million toward the cost of the new center. Nilson Homes, which oversaw construction and retains ownership of the building, covered the remainder. Founder Jed Nilson will also use part of the space to house a nonprofit focused on holistic healing. The center officially opened on Monday, Sept. 8. It's located at 2464 Washington Blvd.
For Sanders, that's what makes the house a home. “It’s showing an example of what can be rather than trying to enforce rules on anyone's lifestyle, it’s just showing, this is what it can be like if we just like each other, support each other," Sanders said.
