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‘It’s my turn’: Jacksonville teen turns his painful past into promise for other gay scholars

Forced out of his parents' house, teen returns to the First Coast to promote his new nonprofit

Seth Owen was an academic all-star and captain of his swim team. 

He was also homeless.

When we first introduced you to Seth last July, the gay teen had been forced from his parents’ home after clashing with them over their fundamentalist religious beliefs. His teachers at First Coast High School started a Go Fund Me page to help him attend Georgetown University – but it seemed a distant dream.

Soon after the piece aired, however, Seth’s story went viral. He was interviewed by news outlets around the country. He was honored by Vice President Joe Biden. And not only did his Go Fund Me page exceed his $20,000 goal – it topped $140,000 – but he received another $25,000 during an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

He used that money to start Unbroken Horizons Scholarship Foundation, a group that will provide scholarships to LGBTQ students of color. 

“It’s my turn to help other students,” Seth said. “It was something that I had to do as a student who received all this support -- to give back.” 

Today, Seth lives in Washington, D.C., where he’s a student at Georgetown University and a Congressional intern. But he was back in Jacksonville Friday to promote the nonprofit.

It’s an effort helped by the national attention he’s received.

“I wouldn’t say it’s ‘celebrity,’” he says. “I’ve had like two or three people recognize me. But when people do recognize me, it gives me an opportunity to talk about what we’re doing.”

Even months later, he continues to hear from people who’ve seen his story. 

“I love hearing from people,” he says. “The worst thing I hear from people is they’ve been through the same thing.”

At some point, Seth says, he’d like to write a book about his experience to help other teens. He initially worried the idea was “too audacious."

"I thought -- 'nobody cares about that' but then I thought: I’m the only one telling myself I can’t do it," he said. "And as long as I tell myself I can’t do it, it’s not going to happen.”

It’s a story he hopes will help others – even though it's one that's all too common.

“It’s saddening, but it also gives me more drive to keep doing the work," he says. "Because I’m not the only one.”

 

 

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