Corey Harvard is the co-founder and executive director of Prism United, a nonprofit in Mobile that works to create community for LGBTQ youth in coastal Alabama, primarily through support groups and special events. Prism also provides cultural competency training for businesses, referrals and other services to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth.

Harvard is a native of Grand Bay and a graduate of the University of South Alabama. Here, he discusses how Prism was founded, why creating community for LGBTQ people in Mobile is critical and plans for a new LGBTQ center in Mobile.

Questions and answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Tell me a little bit about you, and how you came to Prism, and your background?

I grew up in Grand Bay, Alabama, which is known for its watermelon festival. It’s a tiny town in Mobile County, and I grew up in a pretty religious setting, not so much a super religious family, but definitely a religious community, and was very shaped by that. So up until college, my thought was I was going to be in some sort of ministry, or eventually go off and get my [master’s in divinity]. And that made being a queer person really complicated for me, because it didn’t square with how I understood my faith.