Role model Brendon Urie pledges 1 million for LGBTQ youth

Panic! at the Disco, a critically-acclaimed rock band fronted by Brendon Urie, announced a new alliance in support of the creation of student-led Gender & Sexuality/Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs in every high school across America, to support LGBTQ youth and advocate for inclusive schools.

To help realize this goal, Brendon Urie has pledged a one million dollar gift to GLSEN to provide resources, training, and support to students working to create student-led GSA clubs in their K-12 schools, through his Highest Hopes Foundation. Launched this week, Urie founded the Highest Hopes Foundation to support the efforts of non-profit organizations that lead, develop, and advocate support for human rights for all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. GLSEN is the foundation’s first beneficiary, with more to follow.

“For years my fans have inspired me with their determination and creativity as they have created a safe and inclusive community,” said Brendon Urie. “I felt the time had come for me to join them boldly, to bring that energy and power to bear on the huge challenges facing our whole society. Launching the Highest Hopes Foundation with GLSEN as our first cause feels natural to the DNA of P!ATD, I am beyond excited to see what we can do together. Some of the most inspiring leaders out there right now have come from GSAs. Working firsthand with GLSEN, student leaders everywhere, and all my fans, I want to make sure that every one of our future leaders out there has the support they need to form their own GSA and begin their work to make a better world.”