THE TREVOR PROJECT TO SERVE AS

LA PRIDE PARADE COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHAL

LIFELINE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH

Christopher Street West, proud producers of LA PRIDE, is incredibly excited to announce that The Trevor Project has been selected as the 2012 Community Grand Marshal for the LA PRIDE Parade, taking place Sunday, June 10, in the City of West Hollywood. The Trevor Project, headquartered along the parade route, has participated in LA PRIDE since its early years, utilizing the exposure to build awareness of its life-saving and life-affirming services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. 

"42 years ago, when Christopher Street West held the world's first Pride parade along Hollywood Boulevard, an organization with the sole mission of saving the lives of young LGBTQ people--such as Trevor--wasn't even in the realm of possibility. Today, throughout our country, many parents, teachers, counselors, legislators, advocates and even the White House know that Trevor is the default when it comes to supporting kids struggling with their sexual orientation, gender identity, family acceptance and bullying," said Owen Ward, Christopher Street West Board of Directors. "LA PRIDE has always served as a beacon of hope and inspiration and that is why we are so pleased to bestow the honor of Community Grand Marshal to The Trevor Project."  

With an army of volunteers across the country, The Trevor Project's life-saving services, like the Trevor Lifeline are always there when a young person needs to talk live because they are facing a crisis or considering suicide. The organization also manages TrevorChat, a secure instant message service allowing young people to connect with a counselor online, and TrevorSpace, a social network specifically for LGBTQ teens and young adults with 32,000 members from 128 countries around the world.

"On behalf of the teens and young adults who need The Trevor Project, as well as the many volunteers and supporters who make our work possible, we are honored to be recognized as this year's Community Grand Marshal. We are grateful to Christopher Street West and the community of West Hollywood for supporting a culture that encourages young people to reach out for help. You help make sure The Trevor Project is there for young people whenever they need to talk live," said Abbe Land, Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project.

Each year the very special title of LA PRIDE Parade Community Grand Marshal is reserved for one group that has been particularly effective in forwarding the mission of Christopher Street West--advancing equality and fostering better understanding of LGBTQ-issues. In 2011, this honor was awarded to the courageous service members of the United States Military, at the time, still forced to serve in silence before Don't Ask Don't Tell was finally and appropriately repealed. 

Additional event information will be announced in the weeks to come. For more about LA PRIDE, visit lapride.org and sign up to receive email. You can also stay connected by liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter @LAPRIDE.