We had the good fortune of connecting with Rafael Parra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rafael, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

Soon after moving to LA, a friend invited me to join a charity gala and I remember feeling very inspired. The organization was acting as a middle-person and raising funds for causes they cared about. The charity selected to receive the funds was the Transformation Project, an LGBTQ+ org focused on Trans issues. The founders were there and we spoke for quite a bit of time that evening, and they shared how they had a trans child and the many issues they encountered living in North Dakota. Learning their issues firsthand, was very moving and I thought there must be a great amount of similar amazing parents out there doing educational work in their communities that could use additional funds. Upon doing some initial research, I noted there were so many similar great charities in the US that were underfunded and the gala I was in only happened once a year – I immediately thought there was room for more.

My professional experience to date was in the world of tech (Google and Meta), so I remember asking friends and family for advice on all things non-profit. They suggested I started with marketing and Social Media which I knew well, so I thought of creating a community where I would ask my friends to post their stories and inspire a new generation, so @theboysoftomorrow was born. Today I’m happy to say that our Instagram has become a global community of voices, where people send in their stories and teens across the world tune in for inspiration and community.

The stories I knew of friends that deeply inspired me over the years, I wanted others to know about. I find that teens today look for clues on how to navigate their lives, and in many places in the world like South Dakota, teens don’t have access to a youth center, find representation in their schools, or let alone a peer to talk to. I believe the world becomes smaller when people are brought together online. Check out @theboysoftomorrow for some heartfelt stories!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

The Boys Of Tomorrow, is a nonprofit aiming to partner and work with LGBTQI+ organizations that have existing projects on the ground, by means of fundraising. Effectively, we are aiming to act as the middle person between donors and LGBTQ+ orgs, and are working on our first fundraiser for the end of 2023.

Our global community of voices on Instagram is formed by courageous gay men and allies. They share their personal stories in the hopes to make a difference and inspire the next generation. We are creating a safe space that can inspire and support their journeys. Living with authenticity and healing is not mastered overnight, but words of encouragement can help. We hope that you’ll find commonality in these voices, and that you can find at least one story that resonates.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So many places I love in my neighborhood. We’d start the day by getting coffee at Go Get Em Tiger, then walk over to a Barry’s class in West Hollywood. They are both within walking distance from my house and my friends from London just love seeing what my day to day life here is like. They love that we can sit outside for most of the year, so we’d grab dinner either at Gracias Madre, Yzabels or Sunset Tower for some quintessential LA glamour. On the weekend, we’d go to Malibu for a afternoon promenade at Country Mart, I’d show them the coolness of California design by visiting the James Pearse furniture store, take them to try a perfect Cuban coffee at Cafe Habana around the corner, and then grab some cocktails at Nobu for sunset, another LA classic.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank the team at WayOut, who work so hard throughout the year to put together beautiful events and always pick great causes to go after. I also want to thank all of the Boys, Girls and Persons Of Tomorrow that have contributed to our pages which inspire kids all over the world. I know that writing a Love Letter to your younger self and being vulnerable are not easy tasks, so thanks from the bottom of my heart for taking part. Thanks to Joe Adams, and Hunter Gray, Beth Murray are friends that have been in the nonprofit space for much longer and helped me navigate the bureaucracy and were ready to share great advice. Thanks to Enrique Sapenas of the Q Agenda on LATVNnetwork and Autumn Adele of the Pretty Badass Podcast for giving us a platform to share our mission and grow our community through your channels. And a special shoutout to Will Rosenberg, who’s my LA bestie and took me to my first gayla in the US where it all started!

Website: www.theboysoftomorrow.com

Instagram: @theboysoftomorrow

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