Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by my fundraising page and taking the time to support me in supporting a great cause!!  Please take a few minutes to read about The Theater Offensive below before clicking on the nice square donation box and dropping some serious cash (and by serious I mean anywhere from $10 to $1000, your choice!!!)

In case you don't know a lot about me and were wondering: I grew up in Northbridge, MA which is about 35 miles west of Boston and about 15 miles southeast of Worcester.  I knew from a pretty young age that I wanted to work in healthcare and I went off to college in NYC in 1996 to become a Physical Therapist.  Since graduating in 2002 I've worked in Boston at Brigham & Women's, in California at Torrance Memorial and at Cedars SInai and now back in Leicester, MA at Kindred Care - Park View Central Mass.  I've worked with all kinds of patients, but have found the most inspiration in working with adult and pediatric burns.  As a result I've now embarked on a journey of returning to medical school and becoming a burn surgeon.  I'm currently waiting to hear back from Boston University School of Medicine regarding matriculation for this summer (if you know anyone, put in a good word!)  Anyhow, throughout my years I've worked hard to strengthen myself by always trying to be honest and always trying to do the right thing.  It certainly hasn't been easy and I've struggled with a lot of the issues that kids who participate in the Theater Offensive programming struggle with.  I'm hoping, now that I've reached a better place in my life, that I can give back and help in some way.  That is why I'm supporting the Theater Offensive and why I'm asking you to do the same!! 

Chris

Theater Offensive, Inc. wrote -

The Theater Offensive’s mission is to form and present the diverse realities of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives in art so bold it breaks through personal isolation and political orthodoxy to help build an honest, progressive community.  

The Theater Offensive: OUT In Your Neighborhood (OUT'hood) programming reflects the diversity of the city of Boston, gives voice to underserved LGBT community members, creates avenues for cross-cultural dialogue and breaks down the barriers of homophobia, bigotry and hate.  

At its core, OUT’hood empowers local residents to be agents for social change by embracing the concept of OUTness. OUTness is defined as being honest with yourself about who you are and sharing that openly with other people. While the term ‘OUT’ is most often associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement for equal civil rights, the concept of OUTness resonates far beyond the LGBT community – especially in areas with high levels of racism, poverty and violence. Through lively public dialogue, OUT’hood will help empower neighbors to stay true to themselves, as well as create safer, more vibrant neighborhoods. OUT in Your Neighborhood involves three types of programs: 1. Collective Creation; 2. Neighborhood Productions; and 3. Community Events.