Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, has long been an ally to the LGBTQ community. Reynolds grew up in a devout Mormon community and says that he saw the traumatic impact it had on his LGBTQ friends and neighbors. Since then, he’s made it his goal to be an ally to the community.
Throughout his career, Reynolds has done many things for the LGBTQ community, including speaking at TrevorLive, an event for The Trevor Project; writing songs for the LGBTQ community, calling out other artists who use homophobic slurs, and he even put together the LoveLoud Fest, a music festival that helped raise money for queer nonprofits. But his most recent gesture is easily his most personal.
According to HuffPost, Reynolds has purchased his childhood home from his parents for $1 million and then donated it to the nonprofit, Encircle, which is dedicated to creating safe spaces for LGBTQ youth and their families. Encircle is headquartered in Utah and is working to create more inclusive spaces in America’s desert and mountain states like Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and Idaho…states that all tend to lean conservative.
At Encircle centers, members of the queer community can receive mental health counseling, join peer groups and support groups, and can simply have a safe space to meet other LGBTQ young people. It’s also an excellent resource for parents who are looking to find community and support.
This year, we can change the future for LGBTQ+ youth in eight communities.
With the help of @tim_cook, @ryanqualtrics, and @danreynolds we are raising $8 million dollars to build 8 new Encircle homes, to support LGBTQ+ youth and their families across the US. pic.twitter.com/3EwoEqZnPP
— Encircle (@encircle2gether) February 25, 2021
Reynold’s donation was part of Encircle’s ‘$8 Million, 8 Houses’ campaign, which sees the organization trying to open up numerous centers. And Reynolds wasn’t the only one who got involved in the campaign. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, and Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz, also made contributions.
To learn more about Encircle, visit their website.
To keep up with Imagine Dragons, you can follow them on Instagram.
