'Quite honestly, they’re trying to save lives:' Utah Royals' Madison Pogarch working to build safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth in Utah
Po and Christen Westphal will host a trivia night Wednesday at Hans Kombucha and Tap Room in Salt Lake City, with proceeds for the 7 p.m. MT event benefitting LGBTQ+ youth in Utah.
Madison Pogarch knows what it’s like to be queer in a small town, to face the stigma involved with coming out about her sexuality in a community that may not completely comprehend what she is saying.
That’s why she’s passionate about helping LGBTQ+ youth have positive role models and positive influences growing up, even in smaller or conservative communities with queer icons may be lacking.
“Growing up in a small town, I didn’t have a lot of queer role models and stuff like that,” she said recently. “I think being able to be that visibility for people, especially with the platform I’ve been given; I’m trying to do something good with it. It’s something I’m passionate about.
“I think the more we talk about and accept different identities, the more inclusive we will be. It makes coming out less of a thing; straight people don’t have to come out to their parents, so why do we?”
When the Utah Royals defender got the call that she was moving to Salt Lake City from the San Diego Wave, one thought on her mind was continuing that activism of help and healing in her new community.
Fortunately, the Royals knew of an organization that aligned with Po’s vision.
Po and Christen Westphal will host a trivia night Wednesday at Hans Kombucha and Tap Room in Salt Lake City, with proceeds for the 7 p.m. MT event benefitting LGBTQ+ youth in Salt Lake and across the state of Utah.
Donations are encouraged, but not required, at the door, and all proceeds will go towards Encircle, a 501 nonprofit organization based in Provo that offers LGBTQ+ mental health services and other programs to youth, students and families from Salt Lake City to St. George.
For those who can’t attend, Pogarch and Westphal set up a Gofundme to collect donations for the Encircle houses.
“They’re being saying is, ‘no sides, only love,’” Pogarch said of Encircle, which she visited in early June. “We’re not wrong; they’re not wrong. We just really want to provide a safe space for people and youth in this city and this state to be safe and be themselves. I think the way they’re doing it is putting people with similar identities with each other, so they don’t feel alone. Quite honestly, they’re trying to save lives. I really support the work that they’re doing.”
Po said her and Westphall were looking to get involved in an organization when she approached the Royals, and the club connected her with a local partner that has worked with multiple organizations across Utah Royals co-owner Ryan Smith’s network of clubs under the Smith Entertainment Group.
“For me, they care a lot about the youth and mental health,” Pogarch said, “and that was an easy place for me to check in and I fell in love with the way they are going about things.”