Human trafficking often takes root when people are isolated or struggling to meet their basic needs. Factors like housing instability, discrimination, poverty, and violence create conditions where exploitation can happen.
LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth, face these challenges at disproportionately high rates. That puts them at greater risk of sex or labor trafficking.
But here’s what’s also true: when people have safety, community, and support, trafficking is far less likely to happen. Prevention starts long before exploitation does.
That’s why partnerships matter. Ending human trafficking in Colorado means organizations across causes must work together to build communities where people look out for each other.
This Pride Month, the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking is spotlighting one of those partners. Loving Beyond Understanding is an LGBTQ+ organization serving Colorado’s Western Slope. Read on to learn about their work and why it matters in the fight to end human trafficking.
How Loving Beyond Understanding supports LGBTQ+ people in rural Colorado
Loving Beyond Understanding has served LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse people of all ages in Mesa County and Colorado’s Western Slope since 2022. In just a few years, they’ve become a major resource for the region. “We’ve grown really, really fast in response to a lot of need,” says Andi Tilmann, Executive Director.
Their drop-in center offers meals, free gender-affirming clothing, peer connection, support groups, and community programming. A full-time Resource Navigator connects people to hundreds of vetted providers, from doctors and therapists to barbers and plumbers. They also run a collaborative clinic in Grand Junction that provides medical care and counseling.
The organization offers cultural awareness trainings for healthcare providers, social service agencies, and community members. This helps create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ people at work, at home, and in their communities.
Loving Beyond Understanding brings lived experience voices into statewide advisory council conversations about healthcare access and public policy affecting marginalized communities.
They also launched the first statewide rural LGBTQ+ coalition of its kind in the country, now representing 19 rural counties. That work has become especially important as more transgender individuals and families move to Colorado from states with hostile laws.
Why LGBTQ+ individuals face a higher risk of human trafficking
LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and non-binary individuals, face much higher rates of homelessness, violence, unemployment, family rejection, and mental health struggles than the general population. These aren’t just statistics. They’re risk factors for human trafficking.
“43% of houseless youth identify as LGBTQ+,” says Andi. “80% of them cite their orientation or gender identity as the reason, either fleeing an unsafe environment or being kicked out by their families.”
Only 36% of LGBTQ+ youth feel safe and accepted at home. Trans and non-binary people are twice as likely to struggle to meet their basic needs.
On Colorado’s Western Slope, these challenges can intensify. “There’s more social stigma in small towns,” Andi shares. “There’s geographic isolation, lack of services, and isolation from other LGBTQ+ people.”
Recent laws and political moves targeting LGBTQ+ communities have made the situation worse. Misinformation is fueling family rejection and hostility. Many LGBTQ+ people are being deliberately cut off from affirming spaces and services. The fear, distress, and isolation these factors create can make people even more vulnerable to exploitation.
Partnership in practice: Training, referrals, and shared expertise
Partnerships like the one between LCHT and Loving Beyond Understanding are essential to building a stronger response to trafficking across Colorado.
“It was meaningful and significant for us that LCHT came to us with the awareness that LGBTQ+ and trans folk were more vulnerable to trafficking,” Andi says. “They’re in one of the top five targeted populations, and that’s just not widely understood.”
The partnership works both ways. LCHT has trained Loving Beyond Understanding staff and peer specialists on anti-trafficking. In turn, Loving Beyond Understanding has helped LCHT staff better understand the realities LGBTQ+ individuals face on Colorado’s Western Slope. Lived experience LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking peers from Loving Beyond Understanding are planning to volunteer for our 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline.
We’ve each provided referrals to the other. “Some of our staff have even used LCHT services, and definitely our clients, to help them in active trafficking situations,” Andi shares.
Beyond Pride Month: How to show up year-round
Pride Month brings visibility and celebration, but the challenges LGBTQ+ people face don’t stop when June ends. Andi wants allies to stay engaged year-round.
“Be aware of what’s actually happening for LGBTQ+ and trans folks,” they say. “There’s rampant, intentional misinformation that’s causing harm and impacting people’s lives. A lot of the intention behind the rhetoric and legislation is to isolate us.”
The stakes could not be higher. “This is so much more than using pronouns or what bathroom someone’s in. We’re dealing with life and death and basic human rights issues,” she continues.
Andi’s message to allies is clear: move beyond passive support. Take action. Have one-on-one and group conversations, even (and especially) uncomfortable ones.
“Be braver,” Andi says. “It can feel hard, but it comes at much less risk to a cis or white person than it does for trans, non-binary, or BIPOC people, especially children who are vulnerable, voiceless, and powerless. Please step up and challenge the misinformation. Share the data. Be visible in your solidarity.”
Community, joy, and reasons to hold onto hope
Andi says hope keeps showing up in the people and organizations that continue to show up for each other. “The biggest thing giving me hope right now is people who leaned in. Other organizations trying to do good work give me a ton of hope.”
“I’ve been able to see the community coming together, seeking connections, seeking to improve the environments around LGBTQ+ people,” they continue. “Being able to witness that is really supportive in the face of so much attack and violence.”
The growth of Loving Beyond Understanding is its own kind of proof. “In January 2022, we started with $7,000 and barely a dozen clients,” Andi shares. “Now we have 72 active collaborations and have served over 1,200 individuals in nearly 9,000 service interactions.”
But numbers only tell part of the story. “There’s also so much queer joy,” Andi says. “The queer community is creative and loving and resourceful and resilient and proud and bright and wonderful.”
Most of all, hope comes from seeing people find love, safety, and belonging. “Hundreds of people have somebody now who had nobody just a few years ago,” they said. “We’ve created a loving, supportive family.”
Communities like this one are key to ending human trafficking in Colorado and beyond.
Join the Partnership Convening on June 18
LCHT is hosting a Partnership Convening on Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 12-1:30 pm MT on Zoom. Join us for a conversation that includes Loving Beyond Understanding about the root causes of exploitation in Colorado.
You’ll hear from leaders working in LGBTQ+ advocacy, Indigenous advocacy, immigrant rights, homeless response, child welfare, and juvenile justice. Together, we’ll explore how these issues connect to human trafficking. We’ll celebrate progress and identify challenges we can tackle together.
This convening is open to members of Colorado’s anti-trafficking task forces and coalitions, as well as allies.