By Jonathan Able, marketing manager, AT&T AdWorks and member, LEAGUE at AT&T ERG

“In a world full of people, you can lose sight of it all,” sings Cyndi Lauper in her timeless song “True Colors.”

Her annual benefit concert with the True Colors Fund, Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays, presented by AT&T, is a reminder that we can all lend a hand to those in need. For Cyndi and True Colors Fund, that includes LGBTQ youth dealing with homelessness. 

The statistics are stark. LGBTQ people make up roughly 7% of the overall youth population, however they represent a staggering 40% of youth who are homeless. Cyndi Lauper and True Colors Fund are working to change these heartbreaking statistics, one youth at a time. Their annual benefit concert in New York City helps support that mission.

As a member of the Northeast Tri-State chapter of LEAGUE, AT&T’s employee resource group for LGBTQ employees, I was fortunate enough to attend this dazzling show earlier this month.

The concert included performances by several of Lauper’s friends (and some of my favorite comedians and artists). Ani DiFranco, PEACHES, Judy Gold, Sandra Bernhard, Bridget Everett and others took the stage. Jake Shears from the group Scissor Sisters gave a charismatic performance.

A highlight for me was when the drag duo Ricky Schroeder and Tommy Martinez shared their rendition of Lauper’s classic “She Bop.”

One of the coolest moments of the night was when Robert Hebert, a senior manager in Diversity Marketing at AT&T, spoke about the AT&T Live Proud Holidays campaign and its commitment to promoting the safety and inclusion of the LGBTQ youth. He shared that AT&T is supporting True Colors Fund’s events and programs with $100,000 in the form of sponsorship and contributions to expand our work to end LGBT homelessness. He then presented the True Colors Fund with a $100,000 contribution on behalf of AT&T to help advance the fight against LGBTQ homelessness.

As a proud member of the LGBTQ community this was an impactful moment for me. It was special to see the giant AT&T globe lit up on stage in vibrant rainbow colors, knowing that I work for an organization that values who I am and what I represent. It was a heartwarming evening, for sure.

“I see your true colors shining through,” sang guest artist Vivian Green as Lauper strummed on her dulcimer, bringing the concert to an encouraging end. That night we saw the inspiring true colors of everyone on stage in what was an incredibly special night.

To learn more about LGBTQ homelessness, check out this campaign video featuring Cyndi Lauper. You can help spread the word by sharing the video on your social media networks.

You can learn more about the AT&T Live Proud campaign on Facebook.

For more on AT&T’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, go to about.att.com/sites/diversity.