“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,’” wrote children’s TV show host Mr. Rogers in his 1983 book.

Scary news now seems a part of everyday life. Headlines regularly cover the president demonizing marginalized people or slashing government agencies that at-risk communities depend upon for survival. But even amid the bleakness, one can find hope by following Mr. Rogers’ advice and looking for the helpers.

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The April Issue of LGBTQ Nation is dedicated to these helpers, or as we’re calling them, Innovators in Community Service. Our articles will cover individuals and organizations who are fostering community and helping those in-need in surprising and unexpected ways: from a group for queer leathermen of color who raise money for local charities to an LGBTQ+-inclusive group of street chaplains who offer free emotional and spiritual support to the houseless.

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The queer community has had to learn how to protect its own members by necessity. For decades, we’ve been painted as ungodly dangers to children and families, accused of harming public morality and national security, and denied even the most basic rights to exist in public or build families with our loved ones.

In the face of such hostility and oppression, we’ve had to figure out unique approaches to building resilient communities that allow us to identify vulnerable groups and aid them in powerful but unorthodox ways. In the past, this has involved secretly mailing publications that share our stories, creating our local health centers to serve people living with HIV, and meeting in bars and bedrooms to organize massive protests for our rights.

These days, the digital landscape has transformed our capabilities to connect with one another and uplift those who need it most. Groups like Gay for Good use the web and in-person projects to unite volunteers and strengthen ties to the broader community. Individuals, like queer disability podcaster Andrew Gurza, use their platforms to educate audiences about the emotional lives of those often hidden from public view.

When Mr. Rogers shared his mother’s advice, he wasn’t just telling kids to find hope in frightening times; he was telling people of all ages that kindness and empathy persevere, even amidst tragedy, and that brave, compassionate individuals can inspire us to take action to help neighbors, no matter what the president or national headlines say.

In this digital landscape of fear and isolation, many people have begun defining themselves by those they oppose. We hope these articles show that we can define ourselves by those we support. We don’t have to accept a cruel world as individuals — we can build a more humane and loving one together. Such allyship is truly radical and can help us survive and thrive in a new age with our joy, hearts, and dignity intact.

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