Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty
Carl Nassibis giving back to his LGBTQ+ community once again.
The Las Vegas Raiders player, 29, has pledged another $100,000 to help LGBTQ youth in honor ofPride Month. It comes one year after Nassib became thefirst active NFL player to come out as gay.
“I want to wish everybody a happy Pride month. I also want to remind people why Pride is important to me: out there right now there’s a kid saying that I’d rather be dead than be gay,” he said in a video from New York City on Sunday. “And that’s why I’m partnering again with The Trevor Project, and matching all donations up to $100,000.”
Founded in 1998, The Trevor Project is a national organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ people under the age of 25,according to their website.
“I really hope you guys join me in supporting this awesome organization and supporting these young kids,” Nassib added in his video posted to Instagram on Sunday.
Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project, praised Nassib’s actions in showing his support to the community, telling PEOPLE, “We’re so grateful to Carl for his public commitment to supporting LGBTQ youth mental health.”
“Carl has inspired others to live their own truth, donate to The Trevor Project’s life-saving mission, and to accept and support the LGBTQ people in their lives,” he continued. “Our research has found thatover 80% of youthsaid that celebrities who are LGBTQ positively impact how they feel about being LGBTQ.”
“We need more champions like Carl who empower LGBTQ young people and help them see a bright future for themselves,” Paley concluded.
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Last June, Nassib made history whenhe announced he was gay, making himself the first active NFL player to come out. He also donated the same amount to the organization.
“I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest,” he said in a video filmed at his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania, at the time.
“I’m a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know that I’m really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important,” Nassib continued in the video, which he shared onInstagram. “I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary.”
Ethan Miller/Getty
Nassib also noted in his statement that he feels “especially thankful to have had so much support when many who came before — and many even now — do not.”
“I stand on the shoulders of giants, incredible people who paved the way for me to have this opportunity,” he said. “I do not know all the history behind our courageous LGBTQ community, but I am eager to learn and to help continue the fight for equality and acceptance.”
Other individuals and companies have since followed suit, includingBooking.com, which matched the donation, as well as Penn State University’s Head Football Coach James Franklin, whoannounced he would be making a $10,000 donationon behalf of his former player.
source: people.com
