Utah Pride Center Named After Beano Solomon

The Pride Center in Salt Lake City named its building after Beano Solomon. Photo: Courtesy of the UPC

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Passionate Parkite Beano Solomon was one of the driving forces behind the Utah Pride Center (UPC) in Salt Lake City; now, a sign honoring her contribution has been added to the building’s facade. 

Located at 1380 South Main St., the Utah Pride Center has been a stomping ground, a proverbial megaphone and a soft place to land for the LGBTQ community.

When asked her favorite aspect of the Utah Pride Center, Solomon (who uses she/her pronouns) said, “Hands down, support for kids and parents.”

Services offered to the community include but are not limited to; an omnipresent listening ear, enlightening educational materials, myriad support groups, and inclusive school, sports and spirituality programs. Among the aforementioned materials are books. Solomon wishes that more people understood that “books about trans kids are GOOD books.”

The breadth and depth of the community outreach, and the center’s mission and message, is unlimited. Resources, however, are not unlimited – and COVID isn’t helping that. Without the support of caring donors, the UPC might not continue to keep its doors open – and a crucial place of acceptance and education that has been a beacon to a vulnerable community might be lost.

The Park City Solomon Fund, operated by the Park City Community Foundation, is just one of many places Solomon has left her mark on a community. The longtime local is reluctant to take credit for nonprofit success stories, but locals know her as a legend who has rescued a yellow ribbon dog, built a sledding track in her yard for other people’s kids to use, offered a guest room in her home to complete strangers just because a friend of a friend asked about another friend, needs both fingers and toes to count the Park City Boards on which she’s sat, survived cancer, speak five languages and first attended law school when she turned 60.

This isn’t the first time, or even the first state, in which “The Solomon Building” could and many argue should be a thing. The Utah Pride Center exemplifies just where Solomon’s deepest commitments, concerns and core values are.

Those interested in learning more, volunteering, or donating can visit: The Utah Pride Center

Beano Solomon

Photo credit: Solomon family

The Solomon Building/Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City.

Photo credit: The Utah Pride Center