The Knights and Orchids Society gears up community outreach as it expands its Selma office on Broad Street

The Knights & Orchids Society is gearing up community outreach as it renovates its Selma office.  

The organization was founded in 2012 and earned its title as the first LGBTQ and Black trans-run organization to become accredited as the first and only (ASO) AIDS Service Organization and STD/STI clinic in the state of Alabama in 2017. 

The Selma office is located on 17 Broad St., but the TKO headquarters is in Montgomery. The organization is making plans to grow its base in Selma and is currently renovating their Selma location to better serve the community in the new year, according to Executive Director TC Caldwell.  

“We started out mostly focusing on HIV/STI testing, but from the lived experiences of our staff and the evolving needs of our clients, it became evident that this was just the start,” Caldwell said. “Healthcare requires so much more than routine testing. Having stable housing, food security and safe spaces to express yourself and to grow are all equally important.” 

Caldwell said, “It's difficult to focus on much else when you're stuck in survival mode, so we want to help give our community the tools they need to thrive.”  

In 2023 TKO provided over 800 peer-support hours to their faith clients and community youth. Their prevention and treatment efforts leaped from four clients in 2023 to 74 in the second quarter of 2024.  

“We have a network of affirming physicians that can provide primary care needs as well as specific medical care for our clients,” Caldwell said. “We provide direct support for food security, housing, utilities and other necessities for clients. We also work with community partners to provide additional resources and support for our clients.”  

“Our staff and our clients are the key players here,” Caldwell said. “Our wellness team makes sure that our clients have what they need, and they work very hard to maintain the integrity of TKO and the dignity of our clients.” 

Tuesday through Saturday, members of the TKO wellness department travel throughout Selma and Montgomery to get the word out by posting flyers on community bulletin boards and handing out information to people who need their services.  

Given that the Selma office is currently undergoing renovations, TKO is currently doing most of its community outreach in Montgomery. However, they are certainly not invisible to the Selma community; they are here, and they are working. 

TKO is sponsoring a holiday party at The Sanctuary in Montgomery on Dec. 14 at 7p.m. Attendees will be eligible to receive up to $50 if they participate in HIV testing and co-infection testing during the event. The Selma community is invited to join in on the festivities. 

For more information, contact angela.oliver@tkosociety.com. The main line for the TKO society is(334) 593- 2645.   

If you are experiencing a crisis, the Trans Lifeline Crisis number is 877-565-8860; Crisis Text Line: Text ‘HOME’ to 741741. Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-442-4673. Youth Crisis Hotline: 800-799-7233. NAMI Alabama: 800- 237-8255. 

Volunteers can sign up at the bottom of their contact page on the tkosociety.org website, https://www.tkosociety.org/connect .