Dear John,
 

It's incredible to think I have been part of OutRight’s global staff for over 10 years in my home country the Philippines. For myself, the two most important things for my work have always been partnering with local LGBTIQ activists and working in solidarity with one another where everyone is equal.

30 years ago, you would be hard set to find an organization where I could marry these two values. But the moment I joined OutRight in 2008, I knew I finally found the one where I could.

We have made a lot of progress since then, but there is a lot more to do. This is why we need your support today this Giving Tuesday. Our work across the world is life-saving and cannot wait.

When I grew up in the eighties, “the closet” was a safe space where you and your friends would go back when the backlash became too much.

We simply went about our lives day by day, hoping someday things would change, but not doing anything about it. But one day it just clicked; I need to lead by example. If I don’t choose to do something to help my community, who will?

Every LGBTIQ person in the world deserves equality, freedom, and justice, not just one local community. And with your help today, we can make it happen.

I’m so proud of the work OutRight has done these past 30 years, and continue to see how urgent the work that we do is. And I am especially proud this year when OutRight responded quickly to the severe consequences of the pandemic.

So many in the LGBTIQ community were left without income after the shutdowns and could not rely on often hostile families for support. To make it worse, the government helped shut some people out because they didn’t fit the template of a family. Our Covid-19 Global LGBTIQ Emergency Fund is the biggest global fund for LGBTIQ people and I have seen first-hand how important the grants we gave out were. Literally life-saving.

I only hope, that 20 years from now during OutRight’s 50th anniversary, we’ll be celebrating all of our success and past achievements. There will be less violence, less discrimination, and less hate. That we’ll live in a world of greater love and acceptance.

And with your support, I believe we will.

Ging Cristobal
Project Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands
OutRight Action International

PS. Thanks to a few generous donors, everything we raise today on Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $30,000. This means every dollar you give will be doubled.