Together for Iraq

$15,000 Goal | LGBTQ+ Emergency Escape Fund

Pride is just around the corner, a time when millions of us come together to celebrate love, freedom, and the right to simply exist. But for Arash (24) and Kian (26), two young gay men in Iran, Pride isn’t a celebration, it’s a distant dream. A dream they’ve been punished for.

Now, that dream is hanging by a thread.

Their Story

Arash and Kian grew up in silence. In a country where loving someone of the same sex is seen as a crime, they learned early to hide, to whisper, to avoid eye contact, to erase parts of themselves. They’ve been in a quiet, careful relationship for nearly three years.

Last month, someone exposed them.

A private photo was stolen and shared. Within days, the threats began:

“We know what you are.”

“You will be reported.”

“There is no place for your kind here.”

Kian was attacked outside his university. Arash’s father kicked him out and said, “You brought shame. You’re no longer my son.”

Now, they’re on the run. Alone. Stateless. In hiding.

But still holding on to hope, the hope of reaching the U.S. and marching in Pride for the first time not as fugitives, but as free men.

What the Funds Will Support

Legal asylum assistance – $4,500

Emergency relocation and travel to the U.S. – $3,000

Housing, food, and basic needs – $5,000

Mental health & trauma recovery – $2,500

They are currently in a temporary safe country, but their visas expire soon, if they are forced to return to Iran, they face prison or worse.

This June, We Want Them Here

Pride is not just a party. It’s protest. It’s survival.

This June, as we hold our flags high, we want Arash and Kian to stand with us, hand in hand, heads held high, finally free.

They deserve to feel what Pride really means: not shame, not hiding, but love, safety, and community.

How You Can Help

Donate what you can

Share their story — especially as Pride Month begins

Be a voice for those forced into silence

“They don’t want to be famous. They don’t want to make history. They just want to walk down the street, hold hands, and not be afraid.”

Let’s help make that happen, this Pride, and for the rest of their lives.