Help a gay Ethiopian secure a new life in the USA

Hello, friends! Aaron Spencer here. It’s Pride Month, a time when we celebrate and commemorate the LGBTQ+ community's history, progress, resilience, and rights. Recently, a very dear friend, who identifies as gay, reached out to me about his decision to seek asylum and start a new life in the United States. He wants the freedom to live openly and escape his family's pressure into an arranged marriage.

Ethiopia and Ethiopian cultures are beautiful in so many ways. Its collective treatment of the LGBTQ+ population is a notable exception.

This individual approached me to share about his upcoming journey to another country to apply for asylum in the US. He stated, “I have to get out of here; I want to live open and free.” Having spent a couple of years working in Ethiopia and witnessing firsthand the struggles of this individual, I could truly sympathize.

Fighting back the tears, my immediate reaction was to open my own checkbook to send money to help. I then stopped and started to think strategically. I thought to myself, “I have a beautiful global community. Why not reach out during Pride Month to see if anyone else is willing to help?”

This is where you come in:

If you’re able to contribute financially this pride month, please do. THE FUNDRAISER WILL LAST THE ENTIRE MONTH OF PRIDE. Every single donation made towards this fundraising goal will be allocated to cover the expenses of his flight, lodging, lawyer fees, and visa application. His specific ethnic background makes it strategic for him to apply for asylum outside of Ethiopia. I don’t want to share any additional details to protect his identity. The estimated cost is $2,500.

In the event of a successful application, any funds exceeding this amount raised will go towards his resettlement in the United States. Full disclosure—sometimes, these applications are not successful. If this happens, I will notify each individual donor accordingly. Subsequently, any remaining funds will be consolidated into a lump sum donation to Outright International—a renowned organization dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ rights worldwide.

This is my first direct appeal of any kind to my community. I am only doing so because this is an opportunity to truly make a difference in the life of an individual whose well-being is important to me.

Thank you for your unwavering compassion and support. Please reach out to me with any questions. Happy Pride Month!