Today, I’m so excited to announce some much-needed good news: we’ve awarded our 2020 Pride Foundation Scholarships!
This year, we are awarding $546,550 to 127 LGBTQ+ and allied student leaders—leaders whose stories, ambition, and resilience unequivocally show that our community is changing the world.
But don’t take my word for it. Hear it from a couple of our newest scholars:
C.L. (Fairbanks, AK): “Dealing with my physical disability and navigating through the healthcare system as a transgender person is not easy. This experience gives me a lot of thoughts about what I could do for LGBTQ communities in terms of healthcare. We need a solid scientific foundation to educate the public and healthcare professionals, and we need to provide high-quality care to the rainbow community. This helps me to form my career goal as a physician-scientist focusing on transgender healthcare and research.”
Letty Buchanan (Rockaway Beach, OR): “I want to let the LGBTQ community know that there is an EMT and firefighter in Rockaway who cares about their specific needs and will listen and not judge them. I was drawn to continue my education after I saw the need in the community for medically trained persons, the lack of women in leadership positions in the fire dept, and the lack of leadership for people of different sexualities. My career plan is to become a captain in the fire dept.”
Please join us in congratulating our new cohort of incredible student leaders from every corner of the Northwest! You can scroll down to learn more about these new scholars, and the dreams that guide them along their educational paths.
We also hope that you’ll join us for our first-ever region-wide, virtual Scholarship Celebration on June 4th! While we regret not being able to come together to celebrate with you in person, we are embracing our new reality and celebrating the fact that this virtual event will allow us to celebrate region-wide for the very first time.
Congratulations to the 2020 Pride Foundation Scholars!
A Snapshot of 2020 Pride Foundation Scholars, By the Numbers
These scholars are pursuing their educational dreams in every corner of our region.
64% live in rural areas.
These scholars have often overcome significant obstacles and barriers.
44% have experienced homelessness.
These scholars exemplify the beauty and power of gender diversity in the Northwest.
54% identify as trans or gender diverse.
These scholars are claiming their right to self-determination and equal access to opportunity.
26% are living with a disability.
These scholars represent the incredible diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
55% identify as people of color.
These scholars represent a broad spectrum of cultural identities:
