Arnold & BAGLY Team Up with Drag Queen Jujubee for Audacious PSA

BAGLY’s 'How-to Guide to Audacious Living' shares fundamental rules of living audaciously, some empowering, some comedic, and some highlighting how anyone can support BAGLY. The Boston-based LGBTQ+ charity has now existed for over 40 years and is celebrating the milestone (one year later than expected thanks to COVID) with a film starring Drag Queen Jujubee alongside members of the BAGLY community, including youth leaders, alum and staff. 

BAGLY describes itself as a "youth-led, adult-supported social support organisation, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community," not just for Massachusetts communities but on a national scale as well. Throughout the four decades of its existence, the organisation has served over 40,000 people, which BAGLY and creative agency Arnold have celebrated by creating a PSA on how to live 'audaciously'.

The audacious campaign was born out of hard work and passion to celebrate the anniversary, beginning in 2019. The teams navigated and eventually overcame ongoing obstacles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an artistic, fun and creative vision to continue growing support for LGBTQ+ youth...just in time for the 41st anniversary (what’s time during a pandemic anyway?)!

Grace Sterling Stowell, executive director of BAGLY, Inc. says, "What I love about this campaign, and participating in it, is that it’s a new way to tell stories by and for LGBTQ+ youth. In this project we have current youth leaders, BAGLY alums and staff joining their voices to celebrate what we’ve won and to fight for what remains left to do." She adds, "We hope this campaign encourages you to join in BAGLY's efforts to end LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, provide for basic needs and attend to the behavioural health of young people too frequently pushed to the margins of our communities.” 

Ru Paul's Drag Race star and influencer Jujubee features in the spot as the host of a retro, glamorous infomercial with bedazzled telephone to boot. Seated on a luxurious sofa amongst a glistening set of jewel tones, the drag queen introduces BAGLY and their community - with all the audacity you could imagine. Commenting on her involvement in the advert with BAGLY, Jujubee says, "I am so grateful to be part the Audacity campaign with BAGLY. BAGLY has always been the backbone of Boston’s LGBTQIA+ community and continues to be the place where we all find our chosen family. I know we all can continue making a difference for everyone who needs us. We have the Audacity!”     

The film ends with a plea for viewers to donate 'audaciously' to help the ongoing work and support that BAGLY provides to LGBTQ+ youth - support and resources that Michael Houston, director of studio and integrated production at Arnold wishes he had access to, growing up as an openly queer person of colour. He says, "I feel that it’s my duty to help open opportunities for queer youth that still seek local resources and community support. And with BAGLY, that partnership has opened a world of possibilities and a chance for queer adults and allies to give back to the LGBTQ+ community and the youth that are following.”