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New Mexico
GLBTQ Centers' Las Cruces GLBTQ Center had 2,687 client visit in
2012, an 85% increase over 2011.
Let me tell you about one of those
visitors.
This visitor is a youth, a 15 years old
high school student and has Middle Eastern parents who are very
traditional in values and ideas. He recently came out to his parents
as a homosexual and they both told him that he is not a homosexual
and what he is going through is a phase, a phase that his father
himself went through.
He found out about Rainbow Youth after
attending a Gay Straight Alliance meeting at his high school. The
Youth Program Assistant from the New Mexico GLBTQ Centers went to
visit the GSA meeting to do an activity and explain the resources
available at the center.
The youth is very uncomfortable in new
situations and is very quiet naturally. He has admitted to the group
that he has no “real” friends and has no one to confide in. He
also disclosed he had seriously thought of suicide before finding the
group. He as been consistent in his attending the weekly meetings and
each time has opened up more and more.
The youth feels comfortable enough to
discuss any issues that may arise in his life and is also comfortable
taking advice. He trusts that the youth in the group will listen and
not judge him the way that many people do outside of the center. He
revealed to the group that he does not think about suicide as much
and would never attempt to harm himself.
He has become involved in the group
activities.
We need your support to continue saving
lives and creating a better future.
“In
2010, New Mexico-based foundations granted 41 times less support to
organizations serving LGBTQ individuals than to those serving the
heterosexual population. And yet we know that social needs — higher
levels of bullying and suicide, unequal access to marriage benefits,
etc.— are tremendous in the LGBTQ community.“- Santa Fe Community
Foundation
“Less
than 5% of the LGBTQ community gives to an LGBTQ cause, according to
research from the Horizons Foundation and Movement Advancement
Project,” says Bolder Giving’s Executive Director Jason Franklin.
“Give OUT Day aims to raise awareness of the need to support LGBTQ
nonprofits and elevate the level of LGBTQ philanthropy.”
This
Thursday, May 9th
is the first annual National Give OUT Day. 24 hours beginning at
midnight eastern time (10:00 PM May 8th
mountain time) LGBTQ organizations in all 50 states will be raising
money and awareness for LGBTQ charity. New Mexico GLBTQ Centers is
one of those organizations and our official Give OUT Day page is at
http://giveout.razoo.com/story/New-Mexico-Glbtq-Centers?referral_code=share.
Please support us and change the face of LGBTQ philanthropy and the
face of LGBTQ New Mexico.
