As with so many things in 2020, Pride month in the United States looks a bit different this year. But while parades may be canceled and festivities delayed, one constant is the impact of kindness, especially for LGBTQ+ youth. In Seattle, Washington, Random Acts Regional Representative Samara Cogan brought that kindness to youth at the Lambert House. This organization provides community and empowerment for LGBTQ+ youth, ages 11-22.
Power in Apparel
On a typical day, The Lambert House drop-in center welcomes anywhere from 20-40 visitors. Adolescents find community there, as well as more than 40 different programs, from college 
counseling to movie night. One critical service provided is a clothing bank, where individuals can find clothes affirming to their identified gender. To address that specific need, Samara donated nine chest binders. These undergarments flatten breasts and can be life-changing for transmasculine teens.
As Samara explains, “[binders] are such a highly coveted item that they were gone within days; picked up by youth who needed them but otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them. Brandon [Program Manager at Lambert House] explained that binders are usually donated as hand-me-downs from people who no longer use them, so they come in drips and drabs, one or two at a time. I was able to purchase the binders from a company called GC2B, which is not only the preferred brand of the Lambert House youth but is also a trans-owned and operated company. Brandon stressed to me how important it is for youth to feel comfortable in their bodies, and how they present themselves, and these binders are one way to accomplish that.”
Happy Pride!
According to its website, Lambert House “serves a diverse group of youth. Over 50% of the youth who come to Lambert House are youth of color, and youth come to Lambert House activities from all over the region representing more than 130 zip codes equally distributed to the North, South, East, and West.” You can learn more about the great work Lambert House is doing here, and see their list of suggested donations here. If you would like to celebrate Pride through an act of kindness in your community, please see how you can sponsor an act here.
