Our work in:
PRISM Community Collective
Prism Community Collective, a program of ChangeLine, is a survivor- and LGBTQ-led resource center launched in the wake of the Club Q tragedy in November 2022.
Its mission is to dismantle barriers, increase visibility, and build connection so that those impacted by the Club Q tragedy, including the broader LGBTQ+ community, can live celebrated and liberated lives.
Why it matters
Even before the Club Q shooting, LGBTQ+ people in the Pikes Peak region faced discrimination, fear, and a lack of access to safe, affirming care. The tragedy did not create these conditions—it laid them bare.
In a region still grappling with the legacy of Amendment 2 and ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country, the need for a place like Prism was already urgent. Club Q deepened that urgency, and in doing so, galvanized action.
What began as a response to unimaginable loss has become a symbol of healing, leadership, and systems change in Southern Colorado. Prism was not built from a pre-existing model—it was shaped by those most impacted and brought to life through ChangeLine's commitment to equity and community-driven solutions.
How it started
In the weeks following the shooting, survivors were left to find and navigate resources on their own. The system, as many put it, had failed. Because ChangeLine (then Community Health Partnership) was already engaged in LGBTQ+ health equity work—and trusted by the community—we stepped in.
We didn’t create a blueprint and expect others to follow it. Instead, we did what we do best: we listened. We convened survivors, families, LGBTQ+ leaders, providers, and community partners. We helped people process what had happened, explore what was needed, and imagine what could be different. As those conversations grew, it became clear that a temporary response would not be enough. The community needed a lasting space—something grounded in trust, shaped by lived experience, and equipped to offer care, connection, and opportunity.
What emerged was Prism: a new kind of community resource center built by centering the voices of those most impacted, remaining responsive to their needs, and challenging the traditional power structures and systems that too often exclude them.
Holding Space for a New Way Forward
ChangeLine didn’t create Prism alone.
Prism exists because of all the people who showed up with vision, vulnerability, and the courage to demand something different. We helped incubate their vision by listening to and taking action on what they were asking for. Instead of providing a clinical model, we provided civic infrastructure—the connective tissue that allowed this work to grow.
In doing so, we helped create not just a physical space, but a new model for community response. One rooted in equity, accountability, and transformation.
Listening to and centering the voices of those most impacted
Facilitating trust and alignment across individuals and institutions
Providing operational and strategic support
Disrupting the status quo and traditional power structures
Holding space for discomfort and unlearning
“Long testimonial goes here like:
Their role in facilitating collaboration between different organizations is so highly valued.”
Joe Bethersenton
President, TWW Organization
The first and only space of its kind in the Pikes Peak Region, Prism Community Collective is a community center with resources available for those impacted by the Club Q tragedy in 2022, including the greater LGBTQ+ community.
