Cyndi Lauper (Photo by Chapman Baehler, courtesy FlyLife)

Cyndi Lauper spoke out against LGBT youth homelessness calling the issue an “epidemic” in a post for The Advocate on Wednesday.

Lauper, who launched The Forty to None Project which is aimed at building awareness and advocating for LGBT homeless youth, says 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT.

“People often think that because they don’t work at a homeless shelter, they don’t have a role to play. The reality is: everyone can make a difference,” Lauper writes.

“Youth are our future, but they’re also our present. We need to make these kids our priority now. If we don’t, where will they be in five, 10, 20 years? Where will our country be? Even if we all agree that ending LGBT youth homelessness needs to be a priority, how can we rise above the noise and make our message heard? Our voices are stronger when we say something together,” Lauper continued.

Lauper’s True Colors Fund has organized #40toNoneDay, a national day to raise public awareness on the issues, on April 27.