About

OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley is dedicated to creating safer schools and communities for LGBTQ+ youth. We provide a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ youth to gather, learn skills, and receive support that directly benefits their general and mental health.
Our organization is committed to fostering a supportive environment where LGBTQ+ youth can thrive and be their authentic selves. We strive to empower them to embrace their identity, find their voice, and build a bright future.

OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley was founded in 2010 by Dr. William Long, a practicing family physician who was seeing young patients struggling with their sexual identity and being bullied for their perceived sexual identity, with nowhere to turn for resources or a safe place to gather. Dr. Long contacted several community members, medical and mental health professionals, and patients and began the steps to create OUTright Youth to provide a safe environment where LGBTQ+ young people and their allies could meet, interact, participate in educational and recreational activities, and obtain referrals to resources that would help promote their health safety and well-being.

We believe that every LGBTQ+ youth can embrace who they are, define their future, and positively impact the world.

Our Mission

At OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley, our mission is to create a safe space and provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) youth and their allies.

Through our work in the community, we aim to create safer schools and communities for LGBTQ+ youth while providing a safe space for them to gather and learn skills directly benefiting their general and mental health.

Our Vision

To serve as a vehicle of change in our community by helping LGBTQ youth navigate adolescence and young adulthood in positive ways while educating others regarding the worth, value, and benefits of a diverse population.

We want to build a society where LGBTQ+ youth are celebrated, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential, free from discrimination and prejudice.

Anti-Racism
Statement

OUTright Youth is committed to recognizing and addressing all forms of racism and ethnic oppression. We work to reduce racial injustices both within the center and the community and resist forms of discrimination impacting LGBTQ youth of color. OUTright is dedicated to actively work towards creating an environment which acknowledges and dismantles racism and systemic oppression.

Meet the Team

In addition to our staff and Board of Directors, we have the expertise and energy of student interns, and a group of fantastic dedicated volunteers, who make this work possible!

Kim Bost

Kim Bost serves as Executive Director of OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley, leading the organization’s mission to create a safe, affirming, and empowering space for LGBTQ+ youth. A mother, artist, lifelong ally and community advocate, Kim brings together creativity, compassion, and a passion for inclusion to build belonging and inspire change across western North Carolina.

Dr. William Long

Founder, Board Member Emeritus
Dr. William Long, a beloved family physician in Conover, North Carolina, founded OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley in 2010 after witnessing the silent suffering of LGBTQ+ young people in his practice. Again and again, he saw youth facing rejection, bullying, and trauma—without a safe place to turn. Determined to change that, Dr. Long brought together community members, health professionals, and allies to create a haven where LGBTQ+ youth could feel seen, supported, and celebrated. His vision and compassion sparked the only organization of its kind in the five-county Catawba Valley region, one that has saved lives, built resilience, and continues to empower generations of young people to this day.