16 AMERICAN BLUES THEATER ABOUT THE IT GETS BETTER PROJECT It Gets Better is an Internet-based nonprofit founded by gay activist, author, media pundit, and journalist Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller in 2010 in response to the suicides of teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or because their peers suspected that they were gay. Its goal is to prevent suicide among LGBTQ youth by having LGBTQ adults and allies convey the message that these teens' lives will improve. The project was founded by Savage in response to the suicide of Billy Lucas and other teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or perceived to be, such as with Raymond Chase, Tyler Clementi, Ryan Halligan, Asher Brown, and Seth Walsh. Savage wrote, "I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better." In September 2010, they launched their YouTube channel. A one-hour special aired on February 21, 2012, hosted by Savage. A second hour long "It Gets Better" special was aired on both MTV and Logo networks on October 9, 2012. The project has grown rapidly: over 200 videos were uploaded in the first week, and the project's YouTube channel reached the 650 video limit in the next week. The project is now organized on its own website, the It Gets Better Project, and includes more than 60,000 entries from people of all sexual orientations, including many celebrities. The videos have received over 50 million views. The It Gets Better Project fulfills its mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth around the globe in two ways:  Storytelling. The It Gets Better Project connects young LGBTQ people with the global LGBTQ community by Like The Trevor Project, the It Gets Better Project was created to help LGBTQ youth who are struggling with suicidal thoughts and bullying. A screenshot from the It Gets Better website, featuring the video contributed by President Barack Obama