UPDATE: My birthday has passed, but I am keeping the fundraiser open until Giving Tuesday (December 2nd) as usual, and I will continue to match all donations that come in before/during Giving Tuesday!

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Hey, it's my birthday again! For the last couple years, I've been telling my friends to not get me any gifts for my birthday, as I would much prefer that they spend the money on a donation to an LGBT non-profit/charity (and, to sweeten the deal, I offer to match their donation, up to a limit)

This year, I'm raising funds for A4TE - Advocates for Trans Equality (formerly the National Center for Transgender Equality), an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the US. Trans rights are increasingly under attack in the US, and trans folks need our support more than ever. I hope you will join me in supporting A4TE's mission.

To sweeten the deal, I will be matching the first $4,500 of your donations (get it? because I'm turning 45!). Any contribution, no matter how big or small, will be appreciated (and this is your chance to have your contribution make double the impact!)

About Me

If you found this fundraiser by happenstance, and don't actually know me, I am a Senior Instructional Professor in Computer Science at the University of Chicago. Check out my university page for more details, or my Linktree for the various social media sites you can follow me at.

Oh, I'm also, like, super gay, hence my penchant for raising money for LGBTQ causes.

About my Birthday Fundraiser

On my 30th birthday, I hosted a birthday party but asked guests to not bring any gifts. However, one friend told me that he still wanted to get me something, and decided to make a donation to The Trevor Project in my name.

The following year, on my 31st birthday, and inspired by that previous gift, I decided that, instead of just telling folks not to get me gifts, I would explicitly solicit donations to The Trevor Project and, to sweeten the deal, I offered to match their donations (up to a limit)

Since then, I have run a birthday fundraiser and, while The Trevor Project was initially the recipient every year, I've tried to find a new charity/non-profit each year because, to quote Dolly Levi , "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread around, encouraging young things to grow."

So far, my birthday fundraisers have raised $51,066 for LGBTQ non-profits/charities, and that is truly the best birthday present I could ever wish for.

2024: $4,022 for Brave Space Alliance

2023: $2,964 for the Transgender Law Center

2022: $2,488 for the Center on Halsted

2021: $6,324 for Brave Space Alliance

2020: $8,000 for Brave Space Alliance

2019: $2,434 for The Trevor Project

2018: $4,008 for the National Center for Transgender Equality

2017: $3,252 for Trans Lifeline

2016: $2,854 for the Center on Halsted

2015: $3,462 for The Ali Forney Center

2014: $2,448 for The Trevor Project

2013: $2,642 for The Trevor Project

2012: $3,668 for The Trevor Project

2011: $2,500 for The Trevor Project