On Monday, April 7, 2025, Garden State Equality welcomed movement leaders, elected officials, and community members to Asbury Park as we unveiled the “Cornerstone of Gratitude,” a plaque honoring the effort to acquire our new Statewide Headquarters.
The plaque thanks Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, members of the New Jersey Legislature, Garden State Equality’s Board of Trustees and staff, and Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. It also honors “every queer and trans resident and every LGBTQ+ ally in New Jersey whose belief in Garden State Equality fuels the fight for justice, equity, and equality under the law.”
“As we gather today to honor those who have led the fight for equality, we must remember that the true impact of our efforts will be felt by the next generation of young people,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy (she/her). “Phil and I are incredibly proud to continue our commitment to ensuring that all youth grow up in a world where they can be their authentic selves, free from discrimination.”
Built in the 1920s and now reimagined for the future, Garden State Equality’s new Statewide Headquarters marks a bold new chapter in our 20-year journey. Located in the heart of Asbury Park — one of New Jersey’s most LGBTQ+ affirming cities — this historic space is more than a building. It’s a safe, centrally located hub for youth resiliency, innovation, education, and community.
This building, now a safe place — not because of the two large safes in the center of the building — is a physical reflection of the values Garden State Equality has always stood for: safety, inclusion, and progress. Steps from a major NJ Transit rail and bus station, it is highly accessible to youth and families across the state. Its proximity to the local police department adds a layer of safety amid rising hate violence, while its location in a city known for its LGBTQ+ legacy ensures everyone who walks through our doors knows they are welcome.
Across the country, LGBTQ+ youth are facing unprecedented attacks—from book bans and curriculum censorship to unsafe school environments and discriminatory policies that can lead to homelessness and abuse. Garden State Equality has long worked to create safe, inclusive schools, and this new space allows us to scale that impact like never before.
“In a time where LGBTQ+ spaces and initiatives are demonized, Garden State Equality’s growth and expansion serves as a beacon of hope for the entire community,” Sawyer Sussner (he/him), Garden State Equality NextGen College Ambassadors Fellow. “The acquisition of this new historic space will allow the organization to better serve and protect LGBTQ+ New Jerseyans with more resources, more events, and programs, and in a building with so much significance to our Asbury Park community, it makes me more hopeful now than ever that we’re not going anywhere.”
Already, we’ve hosted youth from across New Jersey’s 21 counties in this building for leadership training sessions, equipping them with the tools to create change in their own schools and communities. This space will expand those efforts—offering mentorship, support, and a place where young people can be themselves, safely and unapologetically.
Our headquarters will be a hub for resiliency, featuring a youth drop-in center, state-of-the-art training and education facilities, conferencing and virtual meeting rooms, and offices for our growing team to advance equality, safer schools, and inclusive healthcare.
“In a world trying to erase us, we’re building something permanent and visible — because we continue to exist and we all deserve a future with lived and legal equality,” said Garden State Equality Executive Director Christian Fuscarino (he/him).
As we dedicate this Cornerstone of Gratitude, we celebrate those who made this home possible — and we commit to the future we’re building inside it. A future where LGBTQ+ youth across New Jersey have access to safety, resources, community, and joy.
New Jersey is a home for everyone and this building is a beacon of light that shines across every corner of the state for LGBTQ+ residents to know those values to be true.
