The Rainbow Youth Project, a nonprofit organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ youth, has seen a 500 percent increase in the number of calls on their Crisis Call Line the week following the death of Nex Benedict. About 70 percent of calls mentioned the news about Owasso as a reason for their distress. Time published this data and also shared that 85 percent of callers said they were facing bullying at school and/or on social media.

OkEq requests that the community responds with peace, love, and kindness. To join the initiative, pledge an amount that you will donate for each demonstrator who participates by holding signs and chanting harmful, hateful rhetoric. For example, if you donate $1 per demonstrator and 100 people show up with anti-2SLBTQIA+ messages, you would contribute $100 in the name of dignity, love, and inclusivity. If you pledged 10 cents per demonstrator and about 75 people sharing hate line- up on the sidewalks, you would donate $7.50.  We will email you with a final count of demonstrators with a calculated total for you based on your pledge, as well as a link to make that donation.  If you would like to make a flat donation, you can do that here and do not need to fill out this form. 

All funds raised will go toward OkEq’s youth programs, which includes AFFIRM, a cognitive behavioral therapy-based program for ages 14-19, and Saturday programming with opportunities for peer support, skill building, leadership, learning, advocacy work, mutual-aid, organizing, socializing, and fun!