Wanda Alston Foundation Mourns the Passing of Founding Executive Director Brian Watson
Washington, D.C. - The Board of Directors, staff, alumni, and supporters of the Wanda Alston Foundation (WAF) mourn the passing of Brian Watson, the Foundation's founding Executive Director and one of Washington, D.C.'s most passionate advocates for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.
The origins of the Wanda Alston Foundation can be traced to a meeting convened by then-Mayor Anthony Williams at the request of Wanda Alston, the Mayor's Director of LGBTQ Affairs. During that meeting, Brian spoke powerfully about the growing crisis of homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth in the District of Columbia and the urgent need for dedicated housing and supportive services. His advocacy helped crystallize a vision that every young person deserves a safe place to call home.
Following Wanda Alston's untimely passing, Brian joined with other community leaders to transform that vision into reality by establishing the Wanda Alston Foundation in her memory. As the Foundation's founding Executive Director, serving from 2008-2014, Brian provided the leadership, compassion, and determination that built the organization from an idea into a lasting institution serving some of the District's most vulnerable young people.
Today, the Wanda Alston Foundation proudly carries forward the mission Brian helped create by providing emergency and transitional housing, counseling, workforce development, life-skills training, and other supportive services that empower LGBTQ+ youth to achieve stability, independence, and hope for the future.
"Brian Watson believed that every young person deserved to be safe, valued, and given the opportunity to succeed," said Darrin Glymph, Chair of the Board of Directors.
"His vision and tireless dedication created an organization that has transformed countless lives over the years. While we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a remarkable legacy that continues every day through the work of the Wanda Alston Foundation. We are forever grateful for his leadership and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched."
As the Foundation reflects on Brian's extraordinary life and contributions, we recommit ourselves to the mission he helped establish. Every young person who finds safety, support, and opportunity through the Wanda Alston Foundation stands as a living testament to Brian's vision and his enduring belief in the dignity and potential of every individual.
Brian Watson's legacy will continue to inspire our work for generations to come.
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