My team
Why I'm running the Falmouth Road Race to support LGBTQ+ youth
If you know me, you know that when I find something I'm passionate about, I go ALL IN.
I'm excited to get to combine a few passions, uplifting the queer community and running, in what may be my most challenging feat yet! It is a privilege and an honor to have the ability to run the Falmouth Road Race on a team with OUT MetroWest to raise money for LGBTQ+ youth.
Why I decided to join OUT MetroWest's Team
The work that OUT MetroWest does is near and dear to my heart. As a trans man, I know the value of resources specific to the LGBTQ+ community. I am incredibly grateful to have been raised in a home where it was safe (and encouraged) to be authentically who you are. I will always use my privilege to fight for the right for queer kids to have access to safe and accepting spaces for them to explore and express their authenticity.
The Importance of OUT MetroWest's Work
It's no secret that in the political climate of 2025, many minorities are under fire and at risk. Recent statistics around queer youth are sobering and concerning:
- Following the 2024 elections, the Trevor Project reported a staggering 700% increase in crisis contracts and a 33% spike on Inauguration Day 2025.
- According to the 2024 National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health, 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including 46% of transgender and nonbinary youth.
If you think a blue state like Massachusetts is less at risk:
- 53% of LGTBQ+ youth in Massachusetts who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it. [Read More Here]
- LGBTQ+ students in Massachusetts report feeling less safe with family/caregivers and less like they belong at school compared to their straight, cisgender peers.
OUT MetroWest works to counter the hate and division with community, safety and belonging. They provide a space for connection and support that I wish LGBTQ+ kids across the country could access.
This is the first time I've taken on a challenge of this nature and I know my community won't let me down. I'll take on the physical challenge, but I'm counting on you all to help me reach my fundraising goal of $1,500!
Every kid deserves to feel safe, to be seen, to know acceptance. Every hard fought mile of this race is for the kids who are fighting to see a tomorrow, to finding a way to live their truth - let's help them discover how beautiful it is to be loved for all that you are!
Thank you!
Sam (he/they)
Description
Please help me build communities where LGBTQ+ youth thrive.
For 14 years, OUT MetroWest has risen to meet the emerging needs of LGBTQ+ youth, launching new programs based on community demand. In 2015, our Nexus program was the first of its kind in MA for queer and trans middle-schoolers, filling a critical void. Since 2011, we have grown from a single weekly meeting for high schoolers to now offering multiple weekly programs for middle and high schoolers, monthly programs for elementary youth and young adults, community-wide events, and educating hundreds of individuals to build inclusive cultures in their own organizations.
Because LGBTQ+ youth deserve a community where they are welcomed and accepted, for exactly who they are.
Your support helps keep all of OUT MetroWest's life-affirming programs, resources, and events FREE!
- 20+ free programs each month
- more than 1,000 youth served over the past decade
- 350+ youth and families who attend programs and events each year
- over 30 cities and towns reached across Massachusetts
- At least one trained therapist at all weekly programs, supporting mental health needs of LGBTQ+ youth
- Thousands of individuals trained in LGBTQ+-inclusivity -- making their own schools, organizations, and businesses stronger, more welcoming communities.
Our youth programs include:
- Nexus: weekly program for LGBTQ+ middle schoolers, in grades 6-8
- Prism: weekly program for LGBTQ+ high schoolers, in grades 9-12
- Umbrella: weekly program for transgender and non-binary youth, in grades 6-12
- Drop-In: unstructured time for youth to connect in our youth-centered space, for LGBTQ+ youth in grades 6-12
- Shine & Glow: monthly gatherings for gender-expansive and LGBTQ+ children, ages pre-K through grade 5, and their families
- Nova: monthly social gatherings for LGBTQ+ young adults, ages 19 - 29
Learn more at www.outmetrowest.org
Thank you for helping me reach my goal!
Together we can give LGBTQ+ youth the support they need!
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 22 | The Nielsens ❤️ | Undisclosed amount |
| Aug 15 | Michelle Gallerani | $44.45 |
| Aug 15 | Joyce and David Clinton | $55.35 |
| Aug 11 | Anonymous | Undisclosed amount |
| Aug 08 | Gigi Webber | $11.75 |
| Aug 08 | Jacob Lustig | $55.35 |
| Aug 07 | Michael Curran | $28.10 |
| Jul 31 | Anonymous | $55.35 |
| Jul 24 | Sarah P. | $28.10 |
| Jul 22 | Dylan | $25.00 |
