By Megan Alley
Sun staff
Love Must Win, Inc., a local nonprofit organization that provides education and support by raising awareness of discrimination, bullying and self-destructive behaviors, with an emphasis on issues affecting the LGBT community, will celebrate its second anniversary later this spring.
Three friends who had dealt with various hardships growing up founded Love Must Win, Inc. They started the organization with the mission of helping other people that have gone through or are going through similar experiences.
“We all went through things from sexual abuse to body image issues, drug and alcohol abuse and self-mutilation; kind of the gamut of everything,” Ryan Joseph Allen, co-founder and president, said. “Some self destructive behaviors and some behaviors of things that have happened to us along the way that we had no control over.”
The group brainstormed and researched tools that would have helped in those instances and found that when people love and accept themselves, it’s easier to deal and cope with challenging issues.
Starting the support organization has helped Allen find continued encouragement and empowerment, a phenomenon he describes as The Ripple Effect.”
“With every ounce of love I give, I feel like I get 10 back,” he said. “It’s really a rewarding experience.”
He added, “We do it because we feel love.”
While Love Must Win, Inc., tries to stay apolitical, they do advocate for equal rights for everyone.
In recent months, amid political and social changes, some of the organization’s members expressed fear and feel unsafe.
“Right when the presidential election occurred back in November, we had some people reach out that they were in fear that their rights would be taken away; that their rights were going to be infringed upon,” Allen said. “We heard this from all different ethnic groups and the LGBT community as well.”
The organization held an event to address those fears.
“It was by no means a political event in nature, but it was a safe place for people to come and express how they felt, that they’re fearful,” Allen said.
Personally, Allen hasn’t felt a recent uptick in discrimination, but he acknowledges that recent attention given to discrimination might be shedding a light on pre-existing issues.
“What I feel like is the media focuses more on [discrimination issues] at this time because there’s a lot of stuff going on, but it necessarily directly reflects that there’s more discrimination going on. I think what it’s doing is showing the discrimination that was already there,” Allen said.
Love Must Win, Inc., which is open to all ages and sexual orientations, provides support through five program initiatives, which are:
– A monthly Safe Haven gathering at the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, located at 200 Home Road in Covington. On the last Friday of each month, the group meets, including a guest speaker, to talk about different issues affecting youth, young adults and adults. Past topics have included homeless outreach, drug addiction, codependent relationships, how to spread positivity within the community, loving yourself in your skin and transgender awareness. The event is free and includes food and raffles.
– A monthly Spiritual Acceptance for Everyone Space meeting at the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky. The SAFE Space event brings together community religious leaders to help facilitate a conversation around spirituality and religions. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Wicca and other religions are all included in the open and educational discussion, which is sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church in Covington.
– Life coaching and mentoring for individuals and their friends and family members. Experts will talk with clients on a variety of topics ranging from coming out assistance for LGBTQ youth and adults, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse and general life issues.
– Liaison services to other area organizations in the area. “Come to us with any issue ranging from fostering children to finding the right therapist that fits your life. When we personally can’t help you we know the people that can,” reads the organization’s website.
– School, university and business programs provide workshops, seminars and assemblies for various topics for grade school, colleges/universities and other organizations. All presentations are delivered in an upbeat and positive manner and have an overarching theme of love and acceptance of all, according to the organization’s website.
For more information about the all-volunteer run Love Must Win, Inc., including ways to support the organization, visit the group’s website at https://www.lovemustwin.org.