Northwest Arkansas Equality, Inc.

Northwest Arkansas Equality is a nonprofit organization providing programming, education, and advocacy to serve, connect, and empower the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. We provide free HIV/STI testing services, various support groups, resources, and social and community outreach events. Each summer, we produce Northwest Arkansas Pride, the state's largest LGBTQ celebration!

Northwest Arkansas Equality, Inc. is a registered public nonprofit founded in 2006, and holding 501(c)(3) charitable status since 2007. Our organization operates the Arthur Beeghly LGBTQ Resource Center and owns the trademark and operational rights to the official events of Northwest Arkansas Pride and Gayetteville Brands.

NWA Equality serves as an education, advocacy, resource, and service organization to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) citizens of Benton and Washington Counties. In addition to being recognized as the regional voice for equality and inclusion, we provide free HIV testing services, a variety of support groups, as well as social and community outreach events, including the Season of Dickson Divas drag events. Each summer we host Arkansas' largest LGBTQ pride celebration, Northwest Arkansas Pride.

Our History

A group of concerned citizens founded the Northwest Arkansas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Community Center in 2006 as a grassroots community and advocacy organization. This progressive group saw valued the need for an organized body to advocate, organize, and serve as the regional voice of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community (LGBTQ). In 2009, the NWAGLBTCC began operating as the NWA Center for Equality and moved into our current offices in downtown Fayetteville.

In 2015, the board of directors posthumously named the resource center after long-time board member Art Beeghly. That same year NWA Pride Parade, Inc. merged with the NWA Center for Equality to better share resources and serve the growing local LGBTQ community. The merger resulted in the umbrella organization Northwest Arkansas Equality, Inc.

Today, NWA Equality's services, events, and partnerships impact over 30,000 people throughout the greater Ozarks region