Center on Halsted has cut two positions for financial reasons, according to organization officials.
The Center's Director of Gender Equity and Inclusion, Vanessa Sheridan, posted to Facebook the morning of Jan. 2 that her position had been cut.
"This morning I was informed that, due to Center on Halsted's financial deficit and the need for funding cutbacks, my position … has been eliminated," Sheridan said.
"Unfortunately we did lay off two individuals," said CEO Modesto "Tico" Valle in a statement to Windy City Times. "Center on Halsted was short in unrestricted funding in 2019 and therefore reduced uncovered expenses to align with revenue."
Valle additionally emphasized that the Center has not eliminated programs, further noting, "We continue to grow our youth housing program and anti-violence project with the expansion in secured government funding."
He added, "Building trans programming and diversifying our COH partnerships continues to be a priority for the Center and as we continue to host numerous community programs and support the work of Brave Space Alliance by being their fiscal agent."
Sheridan said she bore "no ill will" towards the Center.
"I know the layoff wasn't because of the quality of my workit was purely a cost-cutting decision," she said. "I'm proud of the work I did there and the impact I made on thousands of lives. Now I'm ready to move on and do it again in a new situation."