Local Natives to support LGBT organization at food drive | The Triangle

Local Natives to support LGBT organization at food drive

Punk Out is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization from Philadelphia dedicated to supporting LGBT musicians and fans through the power of music. The organization has teamed up with Local Natives to host a snack drive supporting the Attic Youth Center at the band’s upcoming show on Oct. 19 at the Electric Factory.

“We want to create a movement of acceptance in the alternative music scene. We work to start conversations, make LGBT community members and their issues more visible, remove the taboo within the alternative music community and increase overall acceptance of everyone,” states Punk Out’s website.  

Founder of Punk Out Michael McCarron and the rest of the organization is trying to bring attention to, and ultimately end, LGBT youth homelessness. Since the Attic Youth Center is Philly’s only LGBT youth resource center, both Punk Out and Local Natives have realized the importance of supporting the center.

Through the power of music and help from band partnerships, record labels, publicity companies and venues, the organization and their partners have been able to donate boxes of snacks and other resources to multiple LGBT youth centers. Founded in 2014 in Philadelphia, Punk Out has since bridged out into various cities like Chicago, Detroit and even Austin lending its helping hand and sharing its vision. McCarron hopes to “leverage [music and musicians’] power to create a support network for teenagers and adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally and/or panssexual.”

The indie rockers known as Local Natives hail from Los Angeles, California and are known worldwide thanks to their popular albums “Gorilla Manor” and “Hummingbird.” Their newest album “Sunlit Youth,” released Sept. 9, has been praised by Pitchfork, Fader, NPR and many more. Those who donate a snack item at the Local Natives’ show will be registered to win a copy of “Sunlit Youth” on vinyl along with a shirt and poster all signed by the band.

As fans and partakers in the alternative music scene, the importance of this organization’s mission should be something we all take into consideration. I believe the music scene is one where any and every person should be able to feel like their truest self and more importantly, accepted for who that person is. Punk Out encourages all persons considering volunteering to apply and courteously accept any donations (visit www.punkout.org for more information on the organization). If you’re going out to see Local Natives on Wednesday, don’t forget to donate a snack! Even if it’s just a few fig newtons. Fig newtons are punk rock.