Have fun, be yourself and make new friends

Our programming

All activities take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at QMNTY Center.

• Craft Nights – Wednesdays, 4 to 6 p.m
  • New and experienced creatives are invited to take part in our Craft Nights! Make new friends, chat with old friends and build community while enjoying activities like designing tote bags, making clay art and designing jewelry. All supplies are provided for you. 
• Game Nights – Thursdays, 4 to 6 p.m
  • Unwind from your daily stress at Game Nights! Gaming is a positive way to stimulate the mind and coordination while spending time with friends and engaging in healthy competition. We have something for gamers of all types and experience levels. There’s PlayStation and Nintendo for console gamers, and casual gamers can enjoy board games, card games and trivia games. Rated E for everyone! 
• Vogue Nights - Last Tuesday of each month, 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Celebrate the art of dance and performance created by NYC’s Black and Brown queer community of the late 1970s. Today, you will find this style of dance on mainstream shows such as “Pose,” “Legendary,” “My House,” and many music videos. We have created a space for you to experience the magic right here with us and to learn from established Pittsburgh vogue performers.
• Free, Confidential STI Testing – Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.
  • Get tested for HIV, hepatitis C, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis with health advocates from Allies for Health + Wellbeing. Results for HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis are available within half an hour. Testers can give you resources for treatment if needed, and our team is happy to answer any questions you have about your sexual health. 
• KIKI Balls - We have an annual ball in fall and three mini balls throughout the year
  • The KIKI scene originated in New York in the 2000s. Today, the KIKI provides a place for younger members of the ballroom community to gain exposure and freedom of expression. Like mainstream ballroom, participants compete in categories such as Face, Runway, Vogueing, Best Dressed and more. KIKI balls may include educational programming that highlights LGBTQIA+ history. It is a place for us to cheer, clap, and celebrate our individuality with each other. Participants can win cash prizes and trophies for their talent and effort.  

Learn about the 2024 Rebirth KiKi Ball

• Educational presentations – by request 
  • As a part of the Outreach and Education department at Allies, sexual health education is a major component of what we do. We offer presentations on sexually transmitted infections, PrEP, and consent, and we can tailor presentations to suit our audience. 

Support the Work of Project Silk

Meet your mentors

Project Silk staff are ready to help

Project Silk mentors are on hand to connect you with resources you may need to take care of your health and wellbeing. Mentors want you to feel comfortable in the Project Silk space, and they will encourage and honor your true self. 

CURTIS HANNER

He/him/his
channer@alliespgh.org

Curtis Hanner Jr. is the Community Outreach Manger for Project Silk. He joined Allies for Health + Wellbeing in December 2023. This was a full circle moment as he was
a participant in Project Silk’s Youth Advisory Committee as a high school student, where he established his love for social work and helping and educating the community on living healthier and stable lives. 

Curtis worked as a peer helper with Planned Parenthood and continued as a peer educator at Slippery Rock University while earning a bachelor’s degree in dance. As a peer helper and a peer educator, Curtis developed knowledge of health advocacy, philanthropy and the importance of mental health. He planned and coordinated health fairs and events, gave lectures to incoming freshmen at Slippery Rock and headed the marketing team to reach beyond the Slippery Rock campus. Curtis now has more than 15 years of experience in social work and public health. 

With Project Silk, Curtis can incorporate his background as a dancer and artist through the program’s craft nights and vogue classes and workshops. He also assists with marketing for Project Silk by creating flyers and social media posts. 

Managing Project Silk is a dream come true for Curtis, and he hopes to grow Project Silk to inspire the next generation of leaders to be a driving force in our community. 

ANDREW MUSE

He/him/his
amuse@alliespgh.org

Community Outreach Mentor Andrew Muse has been described by his co-workers as an active listener, kind, and attentive. In his work at Project Silk, Andrew has designed a program to teach music composition and recording to youth. In so doing, he will teach these skills for the first time! Andrew is a Pittsburgh native and has worked for various nonprofits throughout his career, including Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh. After seeking more involved, people-centered work, he is proud to call himself a member of the Outreach and Education team at Allies for Health + Wellbeing and celebrated his one-year anniversary at the organization in April 2025!  

V OWENS

they / them / theirs 
vowens@alliespgh.org

Influenced by Black creative women in their family – their great-aunt, grandmother and mother – V Owens pursued a degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania to become a professional artist. They graduated in December 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in studio arts. As a Community Outreach Mentor well-versed in visual arts and focused on health education, V supports and guides those they serve so they may flourish.