Dear John,

My name is Derrick Brown, and I am an OutRight Board member. I’m also a talent acquisition executive working to tackle the lack of diversity representation at the executive levels in the corporate sector and a devoted advocate for LGBTIQ human rights globally.

For 50 years, Pride has been a time for celebration, visibility, protesting, and pushing for social change. In a time of crisis, Pride is also an opportunity to show up for each other and for the most marginalized in our community – everywhere. With this in mind, and recognizing the history of Pride, OutRight – and I – believe unequivocally that Pride must include an unwavering commitment to the struggle against racism and violence against Black people here in the US and around the world. In case you missed it, I hope you’ll read our Executive Director Jessica’s Stern message about these connections and OutRight’s commitment on our website.

Likewise, I’m writing to invite you to celebrate #PrideWithAPurpose this month by ensuring that our queer family around the world is not left behind in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Last month, my partner hosted a virtual birthday party for me, and instead of gifts, we asked our friends, family, and colleagues to donate to OutRight’s COVID-19 Global LGBTIQ Emergency Fund, which provides urgent, life-saving assistance to LGBTIQ communities who are suffering because of the pandemic. I hope you’ll join me as an OutRight Pride Ambassador by contributing to the Emergency Fund and sharing it with your networks.

Here’s why: When COVID-19 emerged, OutRight adapted our work to respond quickly to the crisis. We launched a research project to listen to advocates around the world and published a groundbreaking report on how LGBTIQ people are being impacted by the pandemic. What we learned was disturbing – our communities are facing extreme food shortages, loss of livelihoods, lack of access to HIV medication, hormones, and other vital healthcare, increased domestic violence, social isolation, and even scapegoating and abuse at the hands of their governments, religious leaders and others. Many LGBTIQ organizations are on the brink of survival - threatening to set our movement back by many years. 

There is some good news – LGBTIQ advocates are stepping up to support the most marginalized in our communities – and we can help. OutRight launched an Emergency Fund to give emergency assistance to grassroots queer organizations on the frontlines of COVID-19. For many, there is no other place they can turn to for support since LGBTIQ communities are often not reached or are even excluded from government and traditional relief efforts. The Fund supports OutRight’s COVID-19 response work and provides grants to LGBTIQ groups that are providing food, shelter, medicine, mental health services, and standing up to human rights abuses. So far, more than 200 companies, foundations, and individuals have donated $850,000+ and OutRight has distributed 57 grants supporting more than 20,000 people in 45 countries!

But OutRight received more than 1,500 applications from 131 different countries - requests totaling $12 million in need. I’m helping OutRight do everything we can to raise more money so that we can support more LGBTIQ organizations, communities, and people around the world. Our goal is to raise at least $1 million by the end of June. As an OutRight Pride Ambassador, you can help by contributing and inviting others to help our global LGBTIQ community during Pride Month. 

My partner and I believe that it’s up to us to step up and ensure that our queer family around the world is not left behind in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Together, we can provide the support that will save lives and keep the vital organizations in our community strong. Please join me as an OutRight Pride Ambassador to celebrate #PrideWithAPurpose this month!

With Pride and Gratitude,

Derrick Brown
OutRight Board Member & #PrideWithAPurpose Ambassador

P.S. Once you sign up to help, OutRight will send you all the tools you’ll need to share our campaign successfully. We’ll also enter every OutRight Pride Ambassador into a drawing for a special Pride gift donated by one of our corporate partners. Sign up today and thank you!