Representation matters as it makes one feel seen and welcomed into a broader, global community. But not everyone is always represented well and enough. In a time when social media and content creation are becoming more prevalent, people can push for their own stories of representation without waiting for mainstream media to shed light on their narratives, and Jeffrey Carter is among those leveraging the power of the digital space to create content about a community he deeply cares about–the LGBTQ+ community. As the founder of 4lgbt.org, Jeffrey aims to change the world by creating a safe space for the gay community and empowering them to raise the rainbow flag proudly across the world.
4lgbt.org aims to help provide information and support to the LGBTQ+ community, focusing on resources that foster a sense of belonging and community and making every member feel understood. The platform is also on a mission to donate a portion of its proceeds to the Los Angeles LGBT Center and The Trevor Project, ensuring that it leaves a lasting impact in the world by changing lives.
Before founding 4lgbt.org, Jeffrey was a successful content creator who went viral on Vine, gaining over 300,000 followers before the app was discontinued. Throughout his run, he had the opportunity to work with major record labels, including Universal Music Group, Republic Records, and Photo Finish Records. He was also the creative brains behind some of the most popular and trending songs on Musical.ly, which later on became TikTok. His songs were used in over 90,000 videos. Eventually, he signed up with Collab LLC as a content creator in 2018. In the same year, he took a leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles to build a career in marketing and digital advertising, but creating content remained his passion.
In 2020, after graduating from UCLA, he began creating content centered around the LGBTQ+ community under his Instagram handle, @jeffreycarterx. His content generated over 17 million viewers every month on the platform, with his video about “him missing me” gaining over 5.8 million views, 325,000 likes, and 228,000 shares in just two weeks.
Today, 4lgbt.org is another leap Jeffrey is taking to connect with the LGBTQ+ community and share content that supports everyone associating themselves with the rainbow flag.
“I wanted to create an inclusive environment for others who may have experienced similar life experiences as I did, being part of the LGBTQ+ community, and showcase relatable and humorous content that our community could relate to,” said Jeffrey. “This is also as much of a safe space for me as it is for others. Social media has allowed me to create freely and, to a degree, without judgment, and I want others to feel empowered to do the same,” he added.
Having gone through his fair share of challenges, Jeffrey now aims to help those who still feel condemned and unaccepted into the 4lgbt.org platform, amplifying that it is a space where anyone can be their true selves without fearing judgment, and they can be as unique as they want. “My goal is to be a role model for our community and for those who are struggling with their sexuality,” he left off.
