LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Sports and entertainment giant AEG announced that they are partnering with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund in an effort to raise awareness and prevent homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth.
The partnership, which was announced timed to LGBT Pride Month, includes four key initiatives:
AEG will work with the True Colors Fund to develop, produce and distribute a national PSA ad campaign focused on raising awareness of the issue of LGBTQ youth homelessness.
AEG will distribute the PSA in its arenas throughout the United States including STAPLES Center and on AXS TV, as well as post the PSA on its social media channels, driving awareness for the initiative.
AEG will become a sponsor of True Colors Fund’s True Fellowship program by supporting its True Production Fellowship, which offers a young person the opportunity to co-coordinate an event dedicated to the issues surrounding LGBTQ youth homelessness.
As well, AEG hosted a discussion with Gregory Lewis, the Executive Director and CEO of True Colors Fund, at the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE for its U.S. employee workforce that focuses on the work that True Colors Fund is doing to prevent and end homelessness among LGBTQ youth.
“We are proud to form this exciting partnership with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund while we celebrate Pride Month,” said Kevin McDowell, Chief Administrative Officer, AEG. “For more than 20 years, AEG has worked hard to build an inclusive culture that reflects the diversity of our fans, employees, and communities where we operate because we firmly believe in equality for all regardless of someone’s sexual orientation and gender identity. By working together with the True Colors Fund, we will not only continue to raise our voice in standing up for equality, but we will also give a voice to LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness that need our support.”
According to research conducted by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, LGBTQ youth are disproportionately affected by homelessness and are 120 more likely to experience residential instability than not LGBTQ youth. Additionally, it is estimated that approximately 7 percent of youth in the United States are LGBTQ, while up to 40 percent of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ.
However, AEG’s support comes after reporting from multiple outlets earlier this year that The Anschutz Foundations tax filings indicate that it provided substantial financial support for conservative issues groups that support anti-gay causes.
At that time, Mr. Anschutz released a personal statement that read, in part, “Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news—it is all garbage. I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation.”
Mr. Anchschutz went on to note that he immediately stopped donating to certain groups after he learned of their support for anti-gay causes.
