2020

Annual Report

Finally, a place for LGBTQ+ youth of faith to find hope and wholeness.

Over the last year, Beloved Arise has become a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ youth who experience shame and rejection from their faith communities. As the nation’s only youth organization dedicated to queer youth of faith, young people from all over the country and around the world participate in Beloved Arise programs every week — and have discovered the joy of being part of a loving community that celebrates them for who they are -- image bearers of God.

Queer youth of faith are some of the most vulnerable in the LGBTQ+ community.

According to a 2020 Trevor Project study, one in four LGBTQ+ youth report that religion is “important” or “very important” to them. But sadly, many of these young people face rejection in churches, Christian schools, and in their own homes.

The Trevor Project estimates that 1.8 million queer youth in the U.S. seriously consider suicide each year.

According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, religiosity has been associated with significantly higher rates of suicide attempts among queer youth.
A study on conversion therapy found that LGBTQ youth are twice as likely to attempt suicide when pressured to change by parents, and three times as likely when pressured by religious leaders.

Suffering in shame and self-hate, many of these young people give up on their faith, or worse, give up on life.

We're fighting for life.

Beloved Arise is a movement to fight for the lives of LGBTQ+ youth, particularly those who have been rejected by their faith communities. Our mission is to celebrate and empower queer youth of faith.

We offer youth programs, community, and resources that equip youth and young adults to embrace all of who they are. In a world that tells them to change or hide in shame, we boldly say: BELOVED, ARISE!

Impact

Board of Directors

Crystal Cheatham

she/her

David Chen

he/him

Krista Cook

she/her

Henea De Savy

she/her

Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza

they/them

Matthias Roberts

he/him

Dr. Jun Love Young

he/him

Meet our Youth Advisory Council!

August James Kesler

they/them

Brederick Antonio

he/him

Heaven Carter Williams

she/her

Kelsie Hurula

she/her

A message from our founder.

Yes, 2020 was a year of so much hardship and heartbreak. But for many LGBTQ+ youth, it was also a year of hope and healing.

For far too long, LGBTQ+ youth have had nowhere to turn when facing religious persecution, because there were no faith-based youth organizations dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ youth. For many of these young people, the message they were receiving was pointedly clear: "If you want to please God, you have to be straight."

But on Feb 14, 2020, Valentine’s Day, Beloved Arise launched a movement of love with a bold message to LGBTQ+ youth around the world: "You are BELOVED! You're not shameful, but glorious. You're not a mistake to be fixed, but a gift to embrace."

Tragically, most of the kids we work with are statistically at high risk of suicide, depression, and the other harmful effects of being rejected by those they love, trust, and look up to. Told they are shameful and headed for hell, some of our kids have attempted to take their own lives.

Beloved Arise meets these youth where they are, which can often be a place of brokenness and utter hopelessness. We invite them into a community of other youth and loving volunteers, and our programs give these young people a place to call their own and life-saving resources that help bring healing to deep wounds of spiritual trauma and self-hate.

With your continued support in 2021, Beloved Arise will remain a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ youth around the world. Together, we’re building a loving community for youth who’ve been spiritually displaced. And we won’t stop until every young life out there knows just how beloved they are.

In bold hope, Jun Love Young

Financials

    2020 Revenue
  
    Individual donations
    
    $148,934.48
  
    Miscellaneous (e.g sales from our online store, etc)
    
    $329.93

    2020 Expenses
  
    Youth programs & scholarships
    
    $57,229.50
  
    Administration (insurance, legal fee, bank fee, etc)
    
    $4,000.59
  
    Fundraising (event, cost of goods sold, donor mgmt tools, etc)
    
    $1,826.41