How Three Partners Are Showing Up for LGBTQ+ Youth

In honor of Pride Month, we’d love to hear about a few organizations that are driving meaningful change for LGBTQ+ youth right now. What inspires you about their work?

The most meaningful change I'm seeing comes from organizations that are meeting urgent needs—like providing safe spaces and responding to crises—while also working at a systems level to shift narratives, strengthen the funding landscape, and expand access to care for young people.

The Trevor Project, for example, is on the front lines of crisis intervention and suicide prevention, providing 24/7 support and resources to LGBTQ+ youth, while also conducting research and advocating for solutions that make the world more welcoming to LGBTQ+ young people.

We're also excited by the work of the Kindness in Community Fund at Born This Way Foundation, as well as the Youth Mental Health Fund at the Decolonizing Wealth Project. Both organizations fund community centers and “third spaces” that provide care locally so kids can find the connection, mentorship, and support they’re looking for.

At a time when many young people, especially queer youth, feel a growing sense of fear about their safety and autonomy, both online and offline, it’s more important than ever to back organizations creating spaces where young people are safe and supported.

You spend a lot of time talking with young people, especially LGBTQ+ youth. What are you hearing from them about the kind of support they need and want right now?

In addition to wanting care that makes them feel seen, LGBTQ+ youth also want adults to be more optimistic about their futures. There’s a desire to move away from a crisis narrative, or the idea that the teen years are just something to survive. This is a generation that sees its ability to drive change, and LGBTQ+ young people are already leading the way as movement builders and innovators in their communities.

What makes you hopeful about the future of this work?

Teenagers are demanding better—from social media to the places they spend time after school. They know the current systems aren’t meeting their needs, and they’re holding us accountable to do better.

At the same time, we’ve already made a lot of progress. A few years ago, there were very few national organizations truly showing up for teens, especially queer teens. Now there’s real momentum—organizations are more connected, and young people can actually find resources that reflect who they are and enable them to connect with caring adults and each other. The space has come a long way in a short time, and that progress is only picking up speed.