Dear Fellow Grads, Cadets, and Friends of Knights Out,

As many of you are aware, last week West Point disbanded Spectrum, the LGBTQ+ cadet affinity club. While we remain hopeful that we can work with Academy leadership to reestablish the club, we must also prepare for the possibility that this setback will not be quickly reversed.

This year our board voted unanimously to move forward with our annual gala despite the rapidly changing policy landscape -  it is more important now than ever to exercise our privilege as graduates to return to our alma mater and grip hands with our community.

This year, however, our gala will be different. Rather than celebrating past achievements, we will gather to reaffirm our commitment to open and dignified service for LGBTQ+ military personnel. West Point’s decision is a stark reminder that the progress we’ve worked for can be undone in an instant. We will return to our rockbound highland home to support our cadets and steady ourselves for the challenges ahead.

Your support is critical. Whether by sponsoring a table, sponsoring a cadet, or simply sending words of encouragement to Spectrum’s members and faculty, every contribution makes a difference. If we show up now, we send a powerful message to future academy applicants, current cadets, and officers across the force: You are not alone. We will be here when it matters most.

I hope to see you there.

-Drew

Drew Fitzsimmons

Executive Director

Knights Out

USMA ‘14