The Matthew Shepard Foundation’s mission is to amplify the story of Matthew Shepard to inspire individuals, organizations and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people. Through local, regional and national outreach, we empower individuals to find their voice to create change and challenge communities to identify and address hate that lives within their schools, neighborhoods and homes.
Testimonials for Judy Shepard:
"Judy's strength lies in her personal story that she tells so quietly and effectively, without malice or anger. We were blessed to have her and she touched many hearts with her story. " - Frito Lay, Inc.
"Many students were listening to her victim statement and wiping tears away. As she spoke, the audience was mesmerized and she received a standing ovation! " - Hofstra University
"[Judy] was a lovely lady to meet and spoke so eloquently about her tragic loss and gay rights. Her humor and humility set a hopeful tone to such an important topic. " - SUNY Fredonia
Testimonials for the Erasing Hate Community Discussion:
"The Matthew Shepard Foundation's message of erasing hate is extremely powerful and applies to every situation where subjugation threatens to dash the dreams of equality, the dreams of freedom. This message can be used to create a school culture where hate is the enemy, where students work together for the common good and respect one another for the individuals they are. When students walk out of the presentation, they will have anew understanding to improve their lives and the lives of everyone else. In a time when hate and its threats of violence lurk in the dark waiting to pounce, students need to her the Foundation's message." - Elliott Lemberg, Drama Director, New Albany High School, New Albany, IN
"You (Matthew Shepard Foundation) offered an assembly program that was honest, personal, and yet extremely provocative and powerful. Your expertise as an educator was evident as your delivered a message that was both clear and relevant to our students. In particular, I was impressed with the way you incorporated the conversations you had has with people on campus and wove issues that our community was working through into your presentation" - W. Alan Brown, Dean of Student Life, Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ
"The presentation, with the focus of erasing hate was an enlightening conversation amongst community members at the University of Virgina. Mr. Howard presented his material in a way that directly addressed the issue of hate with students who are usually hesitant to engage in such powerful discussions. I highly recommend Mr. Howard to any other university or community trying to grapple with the issues of hate and homophobia." -Heather Welborn, President, Queer & Allied Activism, University of Virgina
The Matthew Shepard Foundation amplifies the story of Matthew Shepard to inspire individuals, organizations and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people.
On October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, was brutally attacked and tied to a fence in a field outside of Laramie, Wyoming and left to die. On October 12, Matt succumbed to his wounds at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.
In the aftermath of Matt’s death his parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, started the Matthew Shepard Foundation to honor his life and aspirations. Inspired by the tragedy they endured, the initial purpose of the Foundation was to teach parents with children who may be questioning their sexuality to love and accept them for who they are, and to not throw them away.
Through their personal appearances across the country and around the world, Judy and Dennis Shepard have changed hearts and minds by sharing Matt’s story and highlighting the importance of standing up for the LGBTQ+ community. Their uniquely painful experience has afforded them the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life with differing perspectives, helping people to understand and appreciate the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
Since our formation, the Foundation has helped pioneer the country’s first federal hate crimes legislation to include a victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability as protected classes, with the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009; provided hate crimes prevention training to over 1,400 law enforcement officers and prosecutors between May 2017 and February 2021; provided access to online hate crimes prevention training to agencies that may not be able to afford it; created dialogue about addressing the hate that exists in our schools, neighborhoods and communities around the world; and built a robust collection of resources to support The Laramie Project, Considering Matthew Shepard, and other artistic works inspired by Matt’s story.
It is our sincerest hope that, one day, the Foundation may be able to close its doors. But the same hate and violence that sparked the Foundation’s formation still exists today, both at home and abroad. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure safety, visibility and inclusiveness for the entire LGBT community until that ideal becomes reality.
Organization name
Matthew Shepard Foundation
other names
MSF
1998
Category
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
800 18th Street Suite 301Headquarters
301 Thelma Drive #512Denver County, CO, US
WY, US