Gay Student Starts Foundation to Help Marginalized Youth Go to College

Gay student and HRC youth ambassador Seth Owen has launched a charity foundation inspired by the educational support he received after being disowned by his parents, reported Gay Star News.

Owen found himself homeless after being disowned by his parents for being gay. His dream of going to Georgetown University would’ve been shattered, however his biology teacher set up a GoFundMe for his college tuition.

After his story went viral, Owen appeared on the Ellen show, where he received a check for $25,000.

The 18-year-old’s journey inspired him to pay it forward by helping other marginalized young people in similar situations access higher education through his charity, the Unbroken Horizons Scholarship Foundation.

“After realizing that I would not have received the same support from the community if it weren’t for my perceived race, I knew I needed to speak up and do something,” he wrote on the foundation’s GoFundMe page, “thus, Unbroken Horizons was born.”

Unbroken Horizons aims to provide five students with a $2,500 scholarship to “colleges, universities, vocational schools, and technical education schools” with the hopes that these students will be emboldened “to share their unique stories, so that they may then effect change in their communities.” The foundation hopes to increase the number and value of scholarships in the years to come. Money raised will also link students to resources for LGBTQ youth.

In only one week, Unbroken Horizons has raised $28,165 of its $37,000 goal.