In searching for a way to give back to the LGBTQ community, Michael Volpatt and I created a aNoteToMyKid.com, a grassroots movement that gives everyone -- parents, family, and friends -- the opportunity to express unconditional love for the LGBTQ people in their lives. The nonprofit's purpose is to remind people that there is a lot of love out there, to bring family and friends closer together, and to give parents and others who may not know how to broach the subject of sexuality an opportunity to learn from example.
The site was inspired when Rosey, a close friend of Michael's, contacted him because her son was coming out of the closet and she wasn't sure how to best deal with it. She asked Michael if she could speak with his mother, Sharon, with the hope that she'd ultimately learn how to be there for her son during his coming out process.
Always willing to lend a helping hand, Michael sent an email to his mom telling her about Rosey's situation and asking if she'd let Rosey call her. Michael's mom replied with the email we posted on aNoteToMyKid.com (see the first slide below), explaining what she would say if Rosey were to call.
Michael originally posted the note on Facebook, and I called him immediately after I read it one morning before work. I told him we've got to create a site where parents, family members, and friends can share these kinds of stories. The impact could be huge. He enthusiastically agreed, and shortly thereafter aNoteToMyKid.com was born.
aNoteToMyKid.com hopes that the unconditional love shared on the site will help instill the confidence needed for LGBTQ people to live positive and productive lives. We also hope the stories featured on aNoteToMyKid.com will offer a glimmer of hope for those in the LGBTQ community who feel that their parents, family, and friends may not accept them for who they are. The more than 60 notes and photo posts from all over the U.S. and as far away as the Czech Republic, Canada, England, and Scotland demonstrate how some family members initially found it difficult to accept their child's sexuality but in the end made the conscious decision to love their children unconditionally.
Below we share 10 notes and photos from the site. You can read more notes, view videos, and check out photo messages written by parents, family, and friends at aNoteToMyKid.com. You can also find aNoteToMyKid.com on Facebook.
Follow Patrick Wallace on Twitter: www.twitter.com/aNoteToMyKidcom
