by Constance Garcia-Barrio

Corporate life can turn us into nomads, hunting for an oasis of peace. For Larry Benjamin, 58, the moment of searching began in 2017 after he had racked up more than 20 years writing brochures, pamphlets, press releases, annual reports and social media content for big businesses.

Benjamin, a former Germantowner who now lives in East Falls, made good money, but corporate life sometimes exacted its pound of flesh. “I was often the only black person or the only gay person in the room,” he said. “Day by day, it can wear you down.”

Where to turn? Benjamin had learned early how to face difficulty. He had endured teasing as a child because he is gay. “There was no way around it,” he said. “I could only be myself.”

Home life cushioned him to a degree. Born to parents from St. Croix, Benjamin grew up in a tight-knit family. “I had two brothers, and then my parents brought a nephew of theirs whose mother had died into our lives, so then I had three. My parents encouraged us to turn to one another for companionship.”

That upbringing steeped Benjamin in English spoken with a West Indian accent and in values like the importance of family and of education, but it limited his exposure to other influences. “During my freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, I found that many black students listened to WDAS, but my parents always played calypso at home.”

Besides family support, he found solace in writing. “I was a lonely kid, so I created stories and characters to fill my world with friends,” said Benjamin, whose favorite writers include James Baldwin, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Virginia Woolf. Benjamin has published four novels and a collection of short stories.

His third book, “Unbroken,” won a 2014 Independent Publishers Gold Medal in the gay fiction category and was a Lambda Literary finalist. In his 2015 allegorical novella, “Vampire Rising,” he said that “vampires stand in for anyone who’s different: Blacks, Jews, etc.” His latest novel, “In His Eyes,” published last August, follows four men who meet in college and their lives later in the gay world.

Benjamin just returned from Tampa, Florida, from the annual conference of the Associated Writing Programs (AWP), a nonprofit literary organization that provides support for writers, where he co-facilitated a workshop. “I focused on using experiences from daily living in one’s writing, just as potters and sculptors use found objects in their art.”

After Benjamin left his corporate job in June of 2017, he used the time to center himself and recover. Later in the summer, he learned that his father was terminally ill and spent much time with him in New York. During that period he learned of the position at Mazzoni Center, which serves sexual minorities in Philadelphia. “I was excited because I understood the center’s goals and knew that I could further them.”

Benjamin also sought “a job that had a greater return than shareholder value.” Mazzoni Center, 1348 Bainbridge St., a nonprofit organization, not only met that requirement but also offered a safe space where LGBTQ persons can receive medical, emotional and legal assistance regardless of ability to pay.

“We assist some 35,000 people a year in this region through our programs and services,” said Benjamin, named director of communications in November of 2017.

The center’s philosophy of respect and safer sex comes through in clear but unobtrusive ways. “All 18 of our bathrooms are single occupancy and gender neutral, and a big part of our mission includes HIV prevention and care, so we have a bowl of condoms next to the copy machine.”

Services run the gamut from a food bank to LGBTQ primary healthcare. The center has several youth programs. “We give workshops in schools to help establish a friendlier atmosphere for LGBTQ students,” Benjamin said. “We also offer drop-in services for young people.”

Despite the range of help available, challenges remain. “We would like to reach young people living in rural communities who may feel isolated. We also need to do more outreach to African Americans. They represent 12 percent of the country’s population, yet account for 44 percent of all HIV diagnoses.”

Benjamin has his work cut out for him in other respects. Mazzoni Center, which relies on donors, volunteers and allies, will hold a fundraising gala on Saturday, May 19, at University of the Arts Dorrance Hamilton Hall on Broad Street in Center City. “Proceeds from the event will support Mazzoni Center’s health and wellness services,” Benjamin said.

In addition, Mazzoni Center will hold the 17th Annual Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference from Aug. 2 to 4 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. “It may be the world’s largest conference of its kind, planned by trans people for trans people.” Benjamin has work aplenty, but he has found the oasis he sought.

For more information about the center, call 215-563-0652 or visit www.mazzonicenter.org. To learn more about Benjamin, visit www.larrybenjamin.com.