Youth experiencing homelessness – who are disproportionately lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ), Black, Brown, and Indigenous – have been hit hard by Covid-19.
These are the most resilient young people in America.
But think about it: How do you stay home and protect yourself when you don’t have a home to begin with?
To put it simply: Housing is a life or death issue. Now is the time to make sure all young people have access to life-saving services without fear of discrimination or violence. That’s why I’m asking you to join this effort by making a gift to True Colors United today.
We are at a critical moment. With a new administration coming in, we are on the precipice of finally being able to advance real change on youth homelessness and LGBTQ and Racial Equity. There’s never been more opportunity for change.
So I want to tell you about 4 ways that your support will enable True Colors United to make real change, starting from the local level and going all the way up to a global scale.
Here’s where True Colors United is at work:
- Local change – True Colors United is working with folks on the ground, young and old, in communities across the country to foster a common understanding about youth homelessness, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race. Because they all intersect! From there, we provide free training and resources to make sure all shelters, housing programs, and services are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all youth. We also help communities establish Youth Action Boards, so that young people are driving the change they want to see.
- State change – True Colors United is putting tools into the hands of state-level changemakers. Tools like the State Index, which scores all 50 states on how they’re addressing youth homelessness and offers customized recommendations for how to end the problem. Teamwork is the name of the game here, and we’re proud to partner with state advocates to put these recommendations to work – including enacting nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness. We’re excited to see that this approach is working – we’re seeing progress in states across the map.
- National change – The federal government has historically taken a crisis-response approach to… well, just about everything. First a crisis happens, and then the government responds. This is especially true when it comes to homelessness. In order to truly bring an end to youth homelessness in America, we need a more proactive approach. Through our national efforts, True Colors United is transforming how the youth homelessness movement at large addresses the issue. As a new presidential administration transitions into power, we have a huge opportunity to develop innovative solutions that help those most impacted by homelessness and finally ensure that LGBTQ youth .
- International change – Because LGBTQ youth are everywhere and homelessness is a universal problem, True Colors United is collaborating with organizations across the globe to assess the needs of LGBTQ youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness. In fact – we’re proud to have just launched the first-ever global campaign about LGBTQ youth homelessness in partnership with the United Nations. Thanks to your help, our message is going further than ever before.
That’s why True Colors United needs your support. By making a gift today, you’ll help to create new possibilities for young people across the world and in your own community. We can’t do it without you, but we can do it all together. Thank you.
United together,
Cyndi Lauper
Co-founder & Board Member