2004 San Diego LGBT Wall of Honor Inductee
Mr. Thomas Carey was a principal founder of the Gay Center for Social Services and a lifelong civil rights activist.
A tireless promoter of The Center, Mr. Carey attended every meeting and participated in every project. He also contributed artwork and helped construct leaflets for fundraising, then distributed them — all at the risk of losing his job if his employer discovered he was gay. Mr. Carey was also an active member of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego and marched in the first San Diego LGBT Pride parade.
Mr. Carey was born on June 1, 1945, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the son of Pauline Evangeline Gavin and William Carey. He had a half-sister, Edna Hines. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he was raised primarily by his mother in Goldsboro, where he had a large extended family. Like many African-American families in the south during that time, his family was religious and most of their activities centered around church and com- munity events. After high school, Mr. Carey attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s spread throughout the nation, Mr. Carey participated in "sit-ins" at lunch counters and in other public places, protesting segregation. After graduating with a BA in Broadcast Journalism, Mr. Carey enlisted in the Navy for four years, spending time in Hawaii and San Diego.
Mr. Carey decided to stay in San Diego upon his discharge. He met his second partner, Bernie Michels, in April 1972, when Mr. Carey participated in an academic project at San Diego State University that Mr. Michels conducted. In September of that year, Mr. Carey and Michels attended the first meeting of the Planning Committee, which would develop into the Gay Center for Social Services. Mr. Carey volunteered to be treasurer of the Planning Committee and helped organize the first two fundraisers, which were crucial to opening The Center. He held the position while working full time until July 1973, frequently short of sleep due to all the activity.
In March 1973, as the Planning Committee prepared for their "Carnival" fundraiser and were desperate to sell tickets, Mr. Carey called his mother in North Carolina and asked her to buy two tickets, even though she could not possibly attend. She was not pleased. Mr. Carey had recently come out to her and the rest of his family, causing considerable scandal. She initially refused, but Mr. Carey reminded her of the many times she had encouraged him to buy tickets for church and civil rights causes; she eventually agreed to send the money.
When the Center opened in October 1973, Mr. Carey and several other men facilitated the Men's Self Development Program, leading evening "rap groups" that focused on issues affecting gay men, such as coming out, coping with relation- ship and sexual issues, and self-confidence. Mr. Carey and Mr. Michels also worked with a local attorney to formally incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status for The Center. Mr. Carey continued to volunteer at the Center until he relocated to Boston with Michels in September 1976.
While in Boston, Mr. Carey was an office manager at Harvard University and became involved in bodybuilding. He moved to Washington, D.C., with a new partner in 1983, and worked as controller for the World Business Council. Mr. Carey died of AIDS complications in October 1995. His partner, Doug Paradis, died a few months earlier, also of AIDS.
Thom's sister Edna Hines died in 2006.
Mr. Thomas Carey was a principal founder of the Gay Center for Social Services and a lifelong civil rights activist.
A tireless promoter of The Center, Mr. Carey attended every meeting and participated in every project. He also contributed artwork and helped construct leaflets for fundraising, then distributed them — all at the risk of losing his job if his employer discovered he was gay. Mr. Carey was also an active member of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego and marched in the first San Diego LGBT Pride parade.
Mr. Carey was born on June 1, 1945, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the son of Pauline Evangeline Gavin and William Carey. He had a half-sister, Edna Hines. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he was raised primarily by his mother in Goldsboro, where he had a large extended family. Like many African-American families in the south during that time, his family was religious and most of their activities centered around church and com- munity events. After high school, Mr. Carey attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s spread throughout the nation, Mr. Carey participated in "sit-ins" at lunch counters and in other public places, protesting segregation. After graduating with a BA in Broadcast Journalism, Mr. Carey enlisted in the Navy for four years, spending time in Hawaii and San Diego.
Mr. Carey decided to stay in San Diego upon his discharge. He met his second partner, Bernie Michels, in April 1972, when Mr. Carey participated in an academic project at San Diego State University that Mr. Michels conducted. In September of that year, Mr. Carey and Michels attended the first meeting of the Planning Committee, which would develop into the Gay Center for Social Services. Mr. Carey volunteered to be treasurer of the Planning Committee and helped organize the first two fundraisers, which were crucial to opening The Center. He held the position while working full time until July 1973, frequently short of sleep due to all the activity.
In March 1973, as the Planning Committee prepared for their "Carnival" fundraiser and were desperate to sell tickets, Mr. Carey called his mother in North Carolina and asked her to buy two tickets, even though she could not possibly attend. She was not pleased. Mr. Carey had recently come out to her and the rest of his family, causing considerable scandal. She initially refused, but Mr. Carey reminded her of the many times she had encouraged him to buy tickets for church and civil rights causes; she eventually agreed to send the money.
When the Center opened in October 1973, Mr. Carey and several other men facilitated the Men's Self Development Program, leading evening "rap groups" that focused on issues affecting gay men, such as coming out, coping with relation- ship and sexual issues, and self-confidence. Mr. Carey and Mr. Michels also worked with a local attorney to formally incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status for The Center. Mr. Carey continued to volunteer at the Center until he relocated to Boston with Michels in September 1976.
While in Boston, Mr. Carey was an office manager at Harvard University and became involved in bodybuilding. He moved to Washington, D.C., with a new partner in 1983, and worked as controller for the World Business Council. Mr. Carey died of AIDS complications in October 1995. His partner, Doug Paradis, died a few months earlier, also of AIDS.
Thom's sister Edna Hines died in 2006.
2004 San Diego LGBT Wall of Honor Inductee
Mr. Thomas Carey was a principal founder of the Gay Center for Social Services and a lifelong civil rights activist.
A tireless promoter of The Center, Mr. Carey attended every meeting and participated in every project. He also contributed artwork and helped construct leaflets for fundraising, then distributed them — all at the risk of losing his job if his employer discovered he was gay. Mr. Carey was also an active member of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego and marched in the first San Diego LGBT Pride parade.
Mr. Carey was born on June 1, 1945, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the son of Pauline Evangeline Gavin and William Carey. He had a half-sister, Edna Hines. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he was raised primarily by his mother in Goldsboro, where he had a large extended family. Like many African-American families in the south during that time, his family was religious and most of their activities centered around church and com- munity events. After high school, Mr. Carey attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s spread throughout the nation, Mr. Carey participated in "sit-ins" at lunch counters and in other public places, protesting segregation. After graduating with a BA in Broadcast Journalism, Mr. Carey enlisted in the Navy for four years, spending time in Hawaii and San Diego.
Mr. Carey decided to stay in San Diego upon his discharge. He met his second partner, Bernie Michels, in April 1972, when Mr. Carey participated in an academic project at San Diego State University that Mr. Michels conducted. In September of that year, Mr. Carey and Michels attended the first meeting of the Planning Committee, which would develop into the Gay Center for Social Services. Mr. Carey volunteered to be treasurer of the Planning Committee and helped organize the first two fundraisers, which were crucial to opening The Center. He held the position while working full time until July 1973, frequently short of sleep due to all the activity.
In March 1973, as the Planning Committee prepared for their "Carnival" fundraiser and were desperate to sell tickets, Mr. Carey called his mother in North Carolina and asked her to buy two tickets, even though she could not possibly attend. She was not pleased. Mr. Carey had recently come out to her and the rest of his family, causing considerable scandal. She initially refused, but Mr. Carey reminded her of the many times she had encouraged him to buy tickets for church and civil rights causes; she eventually agreed to send the money.
When the Center opened in October 1973, Mr. Carey and several other men facilitated the Men's Self Development Program, leading evening "rap groups" that focused on issues affecting gay men, such as coming out, coping with relation- ship and sexual issues, and self-confidence. Mr. Carey and Mr. Michels also worked with a local attorney to formally incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status for The Center. Mr. Carey continued to volunteer at the Center until he relocated to Boston with Michels in September 1976.
While in Boston, Mr. Carey was an office manager at Harvard University and became involved in bodybuilding. He moved to Washington, D.C., with a new partner in 1983, and worked as controller for the World Business Council. Mr. Carey died of AIDS complications in October 1995. His partner, Doug Paradis, died a few months earlier, also of AIDS.
Thom's sister Edna Hines died in 2006.
Mr. Thomas Carey was a principal founder of the Gay Center for Social Services and a lifelong civil rights activist.
A tireless promoter of The Center, Mr. Carey attended every meeting and participated in every project. He also contributed artwork and helped construct leaflets for fundraising, then distributed them — all at the risk of losing his job if his employer discovered he was gay. Mr. Carey was also an active member of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego and marched in the first San Diego LGBT Pride parade.
Mr. Carey was born on June 1, 1945, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the son of Pauline Evangeline Gavin and William Carey. He had a half-sister, Edna Hines. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he was raised primarily by his mother in Goldsboro, where he had a large extended family. Like many African-American families in the south during that time, his family was religious and most of their activities centered around church and com- munity events. After high school, Mr. Carey attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the civil rights movement of the mid-1960s spread throughout the nation, Mr. Carey participated in "sit-ins" at lunch counters and in other public places, protesting segregation. After graduating with a BA in Broadcast Journalism, Mr. Carey enlisted in the Navy for four years, spending time in Hawaii and San Diego.
Mr. Carey decided to stay in San Diego upon his discharge. He met his second partner, Bernie Michels, in April 1972, when Mr. Carey participated in an academic project at San Diego State University that Mr. Michels conducted. In September of that year, Mr. Carey and Michels attended the first meeting of the Planning Committee, which would develop into the Gay Center for Social Services. Mr. Carey volunteered to be treasurer of the Planning Committee and helped organize the first two fundraisers, which were crucial to opening The Center. He held the position while working full time until July 1973, frequently short of sleep due to all the activity.
In March 1973, as the Planning Committee prepared for their "Carnival" fundraiser and were desperate to sell tickets, Mr. Carey called his mother in North Carolina and asked her to buy two tickets, even though she could not possibly attend. She was not pleased. Mr. Carey had recently come out to her and the rest of his family, causing considerable scandal. She initially refused, but Mr. Carey reminded her of the many times she had encouraged him to buy tickets for church and civil rights causes; she eventually agreed to send the money.
When the Center opened in October 1973, Mr. Carey and several other men facilitated the Men's Self Development Program, leading evening "rap groups" that focused on issues affecting gay men, such as coming out, coping with relation- ship and sexual issues, and self-confidence. Mr. Carey and Mr. Michels also worked with a local attorney to formally incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status for The Center. Mr. Carey continued to volunteer at the Center until he relocated to Boston with Michels in September 1976.
While in Boston, Mr. Carey was an office manager at Harvard University and became involved in bodybuilding. He moved to Washington, D.C., with a new partner in 1983, and worked as controller for the World Business Council. Mr. Carey died of AIDS complications in October 1995. His partner, Doug Paradis, died a few months earlier, also of AIDS.
Thom's sister Edna Hines died in 2006.
Family Members
Siblings
