The Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center invites anyone to participate in our First Thursdays events (formerly known as the Kalamazoo LGBT Professionals Network). First Thursdays primarily serves as a social gathering for the local LGBTQ community. This is a welcoming, social group for individuals from all professions. We aim to offers events at varying locations around Kalamazoo and will occasionally have fundraisers
First Thursdays is a program of the KGLRC, working to connect the LGBTQ communities and act as an extension of the KGLRC within the business community. Our primary goal is to offer monthly social mixers.
The networking group was established in 2009 by Shawn Brier. Bill Jefferson joined a few months later, and the two quickly grew the network to over 350 LGBTQ professionals in the Kalamazoo area. The name was changed to First Thursdays in November 2013 to reflect the welcoming, social aspect of the group.