IDAHO, USA — A group of Idaho students have created the Eve Devitt Fund, a scholarship and travel fund for transgender and non-binary youth in Idaho. The fund is named after Boise High School junior, and transgender activist, Eve Devitt and was created in response to Idaho passing HB 71, a bill that banned gender-affirming care for minors.
"I'm so incredibly honored to have this organization named for me, and I am grateful that I've grown up in a community that has never stopped supporting me — that's something that a lot of transgender kids don't have," Eve Devitt said. "I can only hope to give that same love and support to other trans kids across the state, and I think this fund will do just that. When we empower youth activists, particularly LGBTQ+ activists, we can lift everybody up."
According to a press release, the fund is a nonprofit that will give an annual scholarship of $2500 to Idaho students who have done "significant work to advance human rights." The fund will also give assistance to transgender youth and their families to cover the cost of travel of having to go out-of-state for gender-affirming care. People can donate, apply for the scholarship or assistance on the website, evedevittfund.org.
Local activist Shiva Rajbhandari is helping launch the fund by pledging $10,000 from his own college savings over the next four years.
"This is about putting your money where your mouth is. When HB 71 was passed, plenty of people, me included, posted their support for our trans and non-binary siblings on social media," Rajbhandari said. "Now, we're asking Idahoans to take a stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ youth and put $10, $100, or $1000 cash down to make their lives better."
Four students also sit on the nonprofits founding board. Lauren Legarreta, a senior at Boise High; Phoenix McCoubrey, a senior at Borah High; Shiva Rajbhandari, a senior at Boise High and Ella Weber, a senior at the University of Idaho.
"This organization will do a lot of good," Lauren Legarreta said. "Not only can we provide life-saving resources for trans and non-binary youth and recognize student activists for their work, but also we can show that Idahoans stand with our LGBTQ+ community and that we will never back down in the face of fascism."
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