Like many of you, the One Colorado team is grieving the devastatingly unnecessary loss of Nex Benedict. Please take a few moments today to remember Nex. 

Freedom Oklahoma shares: 

“Some memories of Nex from folks who have reached out in concern, horror, grief, in hopes that Nex will be remembered not only for a tragic death, but for pursuit of an authentic life: Nex loved rock music, and often bonded with others over rocking out to music. Nex was unfailingly kind, and always searched for the best in people. Nex was Choctaw*. 

All 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans deserve the safety to thrive. And that is becoming increasingly difficult, especially for 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Oklahoma schools who face a growing list of targeted harms from bans on access to playing sports that align with their gender, to single sex bathroom and changing room restrictions that further ostracize and endanger students, non-consensual outing by school officials, shrinking access to safe adults at schools because of mandatory outing policies, censorship in school libraries that results in less 2SLGBTQ+ representation, chilled speech that makes 2SLGBTQ+ identities all but erased in school spaces at all, and a list of newly proposed harms making their way through this session with rhetoric that drives 2SLGBTQ+ hate, especially hatred of and harms towards 2STGNC+ people.” 

One Colorado stands in solidarity with our colleagues at Freedom Oklahoma, and all those who are working to create safer, more inclusive spaces for queer, trans and intersex youth – many of  whom are experiencing the majority of the increased violence against the LGBTQ+ community. 

All youth should feel support and encouragement at school, not bullying and harassment. Yet 2STGNC+ teenager Nex Benedict is not with us today, because those who are responsible for education in the state of Oklahoma have enabled a climate of fear and bigotry that led to Nex’s death. One Colorado joined more than 350 civil rights groups and advocates for equality to call for accountability in Oklahoma’s education system. Read our letter.

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Take action to support Freedom Oklahoma and the Benedict family:

• Send a letter of support to the Freedom Oklahoma team
• Donate to support GoFundMe for Nex’s family funeral costs
• Donate to Freedom OK
• Individuals: Sign HRC’s petition to demand the termination of Ryan Walters from his position as Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Organizations: Sign Freedom Oklahoma’s letter to request the investigation of Oklahoma Department of Education and removal of State Superintendent Ryan Walters 
• Send a care letter to LGBTQ+ youth in Oklahoma thru HRC

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If you or your loved ones need additional support during this time:

• Queer Asterisk - Individual Therapy, Group Therapy and Community Support Groups for Queer and Trans/GE Individuals
• Transgender Center of The Rockies - Individual and Group Therapy for Trans and Gender Diverse Individuals 
• Trans Lifeline Hotline 877-565-8860  peer support hotline staffed completely by trans/nonbinary individuals 

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