Centaur MC Donates $160,000 to LGBTQ Groups

Proceeds from Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend will support a range of LGBTQ nonprofits, from student scholarships to community services.

By John Riley on April 3, 2026 @JRileyMW

Centaur MC's 51st Anniversary at Mount Vernon Inn, September 25, 2021 - Photo: Todd Franson — Centaur MC’s 51st Anniversary at Mount Vernon Inn, September 25, 2021 – Photo: Todd Franson

The Centaur Motorcycle Club is donating $160,000 to LGBTQ organizations from proceeds raised during January’s Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend.

Gary Samuels, president of the D.C-based leather organization, said the fundraising success is a “testament to the generosity, dedication, and spirit of our members, volunteers, and the broader community who come together each year in support of a greater purpose.”

Each year, Centaur MC donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to national and local charities, many serving the LGBTQ community, as part of its broader mission.

This year’s recipients include Team DC’s scholarship program, which supports LGBTQ student-athletes who demonstrate leadership on and off the field; the Bear History Project, which preserves the history and diversity of the bear subculture; the harm reduction nonprofit HIPS; the Leather Archives, dedicated to preserving the history and culture of leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM communities; and the Rainbow History Project, which documents D.C.’s LGBTQ history.

Other recipients include the LGBT Fallen Heroes Foundation, which honors LGBTQ law enforcement officers, first responders, and military members who died in the line of duty; Rainbow Railroad, an international organization that helps LGBTQ and intersex individuals escape violence and persecution and relocate to safer countries; Waves Ahead, a Puerto Rico-based LGBTQ advocacy group offering mental health and support services to older adults; and Side by Side, a nonprofit serving LGBTQ youth and their families.

Centaur MC will also donate to LGBT Life Center, which provides services to Hampton Roads’ LGBTQ and HIV communities, and MedStar’s Quality of Life Fund, which assists patients facing financial hardship with essential needs not covered by insurance.

“Giving back is fundamental to who the Centaurs are,” Samuels said in an email to Metro Weekly. “Our community is built on connection, resilience, and the idea of chosen family — values that have sustained us through generations.

“We recognize that the spaces we enjoy today were created by those who came before us, and it is our responsibility to carry that legacy forward. By supporting organizations that provide care, advocacy, history, and safe spaces, we help ensure that the LGBTQ+ community continues to grow stronger, more visible, and more supported for years to come.”