As uncertainty struck through the LGBTQ community on Election Night when Donald Trump was elected back to The White House, Dru Project president Sara Grossman knew her organization needed to help.
The election was a catalyst for a new scholarship criteria the Dru Project is implementing next year, which will help LGBTQ youth in “red” states move to more inclusive and safe areas.
“A lot of these kids [are in places] where they face heightened discrimination and barriers to acceptance, and we know that the political shift that's coming is huge,” Grossman said. “It's going to take all the community and everything we have to ensure those who feel cornered in hostile environments know that there's a community standing by and ready to help.”
In June 2016, Grossman’s friend, Christopher Andrew Leinonen, died in the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting that took 49 lives. Leinonen started the first gay-straight alliance at Seminole High School in Florida in 2002.
Grossman launched and named The Dru Project after him, and dedicated the organization’s mission to his fighting spirit.
The Dru Project has awarded $150,000 in college scholarships and $15,000 in grants for gay-straight alliances. It has also published a comprehensive guide for gay-straight alliances that was co-written by Leinonen using his own notes from the alliance he started at his school.
While the organization has set aside $2,500 to continue this work, it is now working to prioritize funds for LGBTQ youth living in Republican-dominated areas.
The Dru Project will award five $5,000 scholarships to youth who need assistance moving to a safer state or city. Applications will open in March so those awarded can be settled by next fall.
“We kind of realized that for many queer youth, staying in their home state is challenging, if not outright dangerous,” Grossman said. “We hope that [the scholarship] will create pathways to success for those who may feel trapped in areas with limited support and affirming resources.”
The organization gives out all of the money it fundraises, so if they receive an uptick in donations, it’ll be able to award more scholarship money.
Grossman said this initiative honors Leinonen’s legacy by supporting LGBTQ people to reach their full potential.
“Drew was an incredibly creative person, and when we started this organization, we committed to a vision of the world where Drew would be proud,” Grossman said. “And for us, that meant a world where LGBTQ youth can pursue their dreams without fear or restriction, regardless of geography.”
