The Time is Now

Hi Friend! I’m raising money for Equality NC Foundation as part of our Give OUT Day campaign! ENCF is trying to raise $10,000 to provide resources to North Carolina youth who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. LGBTQ organizations have been hit hard in this pandemic during this challenging time. As a supporter of ENCF it would mean a lot to me if you supported me and made a donation to support the work of this organization that means so much to me. Thank you for giving! 

The Rural Youth Empowerment (RYE) Fellowship is a one-year leadership program designed to equip young LGBTQ individuals (aged 18-28) from rural North Carolina with the skills to create positive change in their local communities through self-envisioned projects. From addressing the specific healthcare needs of transgender North Carolinians to public education efforts surrounding LGBTQ sexuality, RYE Fellows are paving the way for a new generation of North Carolinians to build and care for their communities in intentional, tangible and compassionate ways. 

Below are some firsthand comments from RYE Fellows

“Living in the South as a non-binary and latinx young person, I often feel my voice is silenced, ignored, and suppressed. Even as the Executive Director of Youth OUTright, a position that offers a certain amount of access and power, the signs of bias based on sexuality, gender, and race are clearly visible. 

 This experience is exponentially more intense and harmful for the youth in my community. There is a deep sense of powerlessness expressed by the youth, they do not see their voices represented in the government, and fear they will never be protected under the law as equal citizens.

 Equality North Carolina’s Rural Youth Empowerment Fellowship raised my voice, as well as the voice of a member of Youth OUTright’s Youth Advisory Board. Favy Mendez is a 19 year old latinx lesbian from Franklin NC. On our trip to D.C., she spoke to her representative’s staff about 

the experiences of discrimination she’s faced. As a community, we must keep our legislators accountable to the humans they serve and represent. Thanks to the RYE fellowship, Favy and I were given access to our lawmakers and representatives. It was an incredible honor to work with talented organizers and activists from all over North Carolina as we spoke on the need for comprehensive non-discrimination legislation that protects LGBTQIA+ folks.” 

- Adrian Parra (Asheville, NC)

“I had the incredible opportunity to take on DC alongside some of Equality NC’s change makers through the Rural Youth Empowerment Fellowship. We had a full day of meetings across the Hill and across party lines to discuss the importance and necessity of federal non-discrimination policy that includes both gender identity and sexual orientation.  Each of us shared our personal encounters with discrimination in order to generate empathy and understanding which we hope will lead to action. It became clear to us who truly wanted to be a part of the conversation while others simply wanted to be inflammatory and, frankly, condescending. Although some of the conversations took more patience and courage, those are the ones that left me feeling as though we had planted seeds with our willingness to be bridges for change.  I am honored to have had this opportunity to learn and grow beside such an amazing group of people.” 

- Sterling Bentley (Durham, NC)

You see why this Fellowship is so important? Your gift of $25 would bring me closer to my goal and would make a big difference in the life of a young person. Plus, if ENCF gets the most donors in our category, we earn additional prize money, which would mean so much during this challenging time. Even with Pride parades canceled, we can all show our pride by making a gift! Thank you for giving during this challenging time.